Apples
USDA studies steam heat to target pests
Early in 2020, two colleagues in the Treatment and Inspection Methods Laboratory (TIML) of USDA’s Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program began researching vacuum steam as an alternative for methyl bromide treatment for fresh fruits.... more »
Rice Fruit’s Lee Showalter plans retirement
Lee Showalter, a longtime apple industry advocate, fruit grower and Rice Fruit Company’s grower services manager for more than 13 years, plans to retire at the end of the year. In announcing his retirement, the... more »
Kudos joins the ranks of apples from University of Minnesota
If you enjoy a Honeycrisp, Haralson, SweeTango or First Kiss apple at your local orchard or farm stand this fall, you can thank the University of Minnesota apple breeding program for putting it there. A... more »
Starr Ranch, CMI Orchards unite with apples, pears, cherries
Starr Ranch Growers/Oneonta Trading Co. — which includes Custom Apple, Diamond Fruit and Apple King — has an agreement to join forces with CMI Orchards, delivering more than eight million cartons to CMI’s manifest. This... more »
California’s Murray Family Farms endures challenges
Murray Family Farms, owned by Steve and Vickie Murray, has discovered that growing cherries, berries and other tree fruit in the southern San Joaquin Valley’s desert region is highly challenging. South of Bakersfield, the farm’s... more »
Harvests start with high hopes for apple season
Apple growers in Washington, Michigan and New York are optimistic for the 2023-24 fresh apple season. With weather described as “near-perfect,” Washington dodged the heat and cold from the past two seasons. The U.S. Apple... more »
Indian farmers protest U.S. apple tariff cuts
In Kashmir, growers protested India's decision to cut import tax on U.S. apples. Claiming cheaper U.S. apples will harm Kashmir growers, apple farmers and political activists in protested on Sept. 13 against their government's decision... more »
India trade dispute resolution to benefit U.S. blueberry, cranberry exports
With U.S. negotiators announcing resolution of the U.S.-India World Trade Organization poultry dispute, India will reduce tariffs on certain products, including fresh and processed berries. As part of the agreement, India also agreed to reduce... more »
