Pacific Northwest
Phytelligence reportedly shutting down
Cultivar propagation company Phytelligence is reportedly shutting down after a federal judge sided with Washington State University in a long legal dispute over growing Cosmic Crisp trees. Seattle-based journalist James Thorne was the first to... more »
AgWeatherNet expands presence in northwest Washington
AgWeatherNet, a Washington State University program that provides access to current and historical weather data, has placed a meteorologist at the WSU Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research & Extension Center (REC) for the first time. Jon Contezac,... more »
Washington Rep. wants better apple access in India
Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Sept. 18, calling on him to elevate Washington apple access in India by reducing tariff rates for U.S. apple growers. “Washington state is... more »
Rainier Fruit starts holiday giving for ‘Pears for Pairs’
Rainier Fruit recently announced a second year of its holiday charity program, Pears for Pairs, which buys socks for the homeless. The campaign launches in stores in September. Rainier will contribute a portion of the... more »
Federal judge in Washington state stops 50% pay hike for blueberry pickers
A federal judge has blocked the government from imposing a 50% wage hike for blueberry pickers in Washington state. The Olympian in Olympia, Washington, reports U.S. District Court Judge Salvador Mendoza Jr. temporarily stopped the Department of... more »
USDA surveying fruit growers about chemical use
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Olympia, Washington office said in a Sept. 9 press release it would soon begin surveying fruit growers in 12 states for its biennial Fruit Chemical Use Survey. This survey... more »
Fruit Tec REDpulse pneumatic defoliation for apples demonstrated
Demonstrations of the Fruit Tec REDpulse pneumatic defoliation for apples are scheduled this week in Washington state. REDpulse defoliation removes most of the shading leaves completely or parts of it. Light parts of the fruit skin... more »
Former Marine, first generation college student sets sights on wine world
Bernadette Gagnier knows a thing or two about being an outlier. The first-generation college student is the middle child and only daughter in a family of Boy Scouts. Growing up, she was taught two principles... more »