As it establishes additional goals for a new year, Proprietary Variety Management (PVM) in Yakima, Washington is looking back on 2013 where two major successes will likely have a large impact on the future of the fruit industry.
Its first major achievement came at mid-year with the announcement of a collaboration involving a program to commercialize red fleshed apples that will be grown in Washington State.
This effort, historic in nature, included the licensing of Stemilt Growers LLC and Chelan Fresh Marketing and will take red fleshed apples that have exceptional flavor from a program called Hidden Surprise. Tree propagation for both companies will be under the direction of PVM affiliate, Brandt’s Fruit Trees, Inc.
The second PVM accomplishment was announced in early December at the Washington State Horticultural Association Annual meeting in Wenatchee where it became known that PVM was selected to play a role in the management of the WA 38 apple.
This announcement, coming from the Washington State University Agricultural Research Center in Pullman, involves the collection of royalties and the development of the trademark on the soon to be named apple.
As pointed out by Dr. John Reeves, PVM general manager, the red fleshed apple and WA 38 are clear evidence that the overall philosophy behind PVM is sound.
“We created PVM as something completely unique in the fruit industry,” Dr. Reeves says. “It’s gratifying to see it’s a concept being widely accepted, especially as it will benefit growers in the future.”
“What we’ve done is bring together several active components unmatched in the tree fruit nursery business. It’s truly taking the next step into the securing and management of intellectual property, a totally new opportunity for the industry.”
In Stemilt and Chelan Fresh Marketing the red fleshed apple program is bringing together two companies with decades of successful fruit industry experience. This program also covers naming and trademark development decisions along with future marketing and promotion activities.
When it comes to WA 38, a lottery will be held in late Spring or early Summer of this year to assign trees to growers. The timing will allow nurseries to bud trees for growers successful in the lottery so they can have ground ready for planting in 2017. Following the lottery, the intent is to have the program be available to all growers in Washington State.
(For more information contact John Reeves at elkman12@gmail.com or 509-840-5075)
Source: Proprietary Variety Management (PVM)
