Feb 10, 2016

IFTA continues precision-based conference

The International Tree Fruit Association’s (IFTA) Annual Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan, continues Thursday with a full array of educational programming for the more than 400 attendees.

The IFTA Orchard Tour Feb. 9 on The Ridge area north of Grand Rapids featured several stops that tied into the “Precision Generation” theme.

The V-system Honeycrisp orchard was on display at Riveridge Land Company. Manager Justin Finkler said the V-system is expected to produce 20 percent more yield per acre, part of the Return On Investment (ROI) formula. The other part includes the precision orcharding of the V-system that boosts income with the improved fruit quality and thus, captures the higher prices.

These systems produce the greatest yields because they capture maximum sunlight on an acre. This gives these systems the big yields per acre (100 bins). Riveridge looks at the V-system returns and they see the greatest return on investment.

Finkler said these systems are more expensive to establish and the risks are high. He believes nothing is without risks, but high risk equals high return.

Follow Fruit Growers News’ live coverage of the IFTA conference on Twitter at #IFTAGrandRapids.