Apples

Stabenow pushes House to pass farm bill

The U.S. Senate passed its version of the 2012 Farm Bill last month. Now, it’s up to the House of Representatives. Hopefully, House leaders will overcome the “partisan posturing” of an election year and do... more »

Feds OK help for fruit growers hammered by weather

The federal government Monday declared Michigan a disaster area because of damage to fruit crops from erratic spring weather, making growers eligible to seek low-interest loans.Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, said USDA had granted... more »

New York apple crop takes a significant hit

Ken Nice has been growing fruit for 50 years and he’s never seen such bare branches on his apple trees during the growing season.“There are some trees with nothing on them,” said Nice, a Knowlesville... more »

SWD becoming more established in Michigan

The spotted wing drosophila (SWD) is an invasive pest of berries, stone fruit, grapes and some pome fruit crops. It is native to Asia but was detected in North America for the first time in... more »

Michigan apple crop suffers significant losses

The Michigan apple industry suffered huge crop losses stemming from historic weather events in late winter and spring, the Michigan Apple Committee announced today. An early heat wave followed by a cold, frost-filled spring resulted... more »

Michigan governor signs bill to help farmers recover from loss

Legislation providing loans to farmers who suffered catastrophic crop losses following unseasonable weather this spring is among the key bills recently signed by Gov. Rick Snyder. Abnormally high temperatures in early March were followed by... more »

Michigan throws fruit industry lifeline with loan program

Michigan fruit growers are poised to receive a second source of disaster loans.A state bill creating emergency aid to farmers whose crops were devastated by unseasonably warm spring weather has passed the state House and... more »

New standards worry cranberry industry

The federal government is expected to propose new nutrition standards soon that could leave a bitter taste in the mouths of cranberry growers from Massachusetts to Wisconsin.To address childhood obesity in America, an effort spurred... more »