In 1910, Washington state had more than 27,000 commercial farms that grew apples, according to data from the Washington State Tree Fruit Association.
A little over a century later — as of 2012, the latest year data was available — the state had 2,839.
The number of commercial tree fruit farms has dropped drastically, and the companies left are bigger and vertically integrated operations. But most, if not all, firms remain family-owned.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Yakima Herald
The Washington Apple Education Foundation (WAEF) scholarship application is currently open and available to students raised in tree fruit industry families with plans to attend college in the fall of 2021. Annually, WAEF awards over $1 million in scholarships on behalf of Washington’s tree fruit growers, packers, shippers and suppliers to college-bound and college-enrolled students. …
In an effort led by the U.S. Apple Association and Northwest Horticultural Council, tree fruit organizations are urging Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to consider the unique circumstances of growers during allocation of CARES Act funding. …
A cold and wet spring created havoc for the state’s tree-fruit harvest this year. The damp weather reduced spring pollination activity, stunting crop development. Snow damaged many of those limited buds, keeping them from growing into apples, cherries and other fruit. …
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