Fruits
$10M announced for multi-state specialty crops projects
No less than $10 million is available for competitive grant funding in the 2019 Specialty Crop Multi-State Program (SCMP), the USDA announced June 3. Grants are awarded to state departments of agriculture to fund collaborative, multi-state... more »
Organic grower uses NRCS program to encourage pollinators
After a hard day’s work in the orchard, there’s nothing like enjoying a glass of cider made from apples you grew yourself. Deirdre Birmingham can do just that. Deirdre has academic training and experience in... more »
New food and ag biz competition launched in upstate New York
New York State and Cornell University recently launched Grow-NY, a food innovation and agriculture technology business challenge. Grow-NY is a business competition focused on enhancing the emerging food and agriculture innovation cluster currently present in the Finger Lakes, Central New... more »
Small-time apple growers inflate ag census numbers
The USDA counted fewer middle-size farms across American agriculture during the 2017 agriculture census, and fruit growers are no exception. Take apple growers, for instance. The number of farms growing apples during the same time... more »
Midwest cold damage masks vine trunk diseases
Old Man Winter is broadly blamed for damaged grapevines across the Midwest. But after looking beneath the surface, one Extension specialist discovered that much of the Midwestern damage is due to disease-causing fungi better known... more »
UFO peach system finds favor at Windy Ridge
When Gregory Lang conducts tree fruit research in search of orchard technologies that are optimized, efficient production systems, he does so knowing the fruit-growing community may or may not embrace his findings. The Michigan State... more »
Blueberries’ effect on cardiometabolic health, metabolic syndrome eyed
A new research study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that participants with metabolic syndrome who consumed the equivalent of one cup of fresh blueberries, given as 26g of freeze-dried blueberries, showed clinically relevant changes in... more »
Hendrickson joins USApple as manager of association services
Matthew Hendrickson will join the U.S. Apple Association (USApple) on June 10 in the newly created position of Manager of Association Services. Hendrickson brings a wealth of experience in association and nonprofit management, including member development,... more »