Cherries

Two New York counties cleared of plum pox virus

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently announced that plum pox virus (PPV) has been eradicated from Orleans and Wayne counties in New York state.PPV, considered the most devastating viral disease of stone... more »

Traceback system, sorting line aid fruit operation

Bear Mountain Orchards has a thorough traceback system that its vice president, Sheila Gantz, called “fail proof.” Gantz described the system for guests from the International Fruit Tree Association, who recently visited several fruit operations... more »

Michigan processing apple prices announced

The Michigan Processing Apple Growers (MPAG) Marketing Committee has negotiated the following minimum processing apple prices with several processors for the 2013 crop (sizes 2.5 inches and up):• Jonathan – $14/cwt.• JonaGold, Ida Red and... more »

Tart cherry growers finally have access to crop insurance

Michigan tart cherry growers now have access to federal crop insurance, for the first time ever, according to Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.According to Stabenow's... more »

Michigan growers consider forming tree fruit commission

To pay for research activities, Michigan’s apple, cherry, peach, nectarine and plum industries are pondering the creation of a state tree fruit commission.Supporters of the new commission say it’s become abundantly clear that the funding... more »

Researchers eye high-density cherry harvest

Michigan researchers continue to explore the potential for establishing high-density systems for tart cherry hedgerow production that can lead to more effective over-the-row harvests. Part of the process has involved the planting of Montmorency trees... more »

Guesstimate: Fruit crops back to normal in 2013

By late spring 2012, freeze events had done so much damage to Michigan fruit that organizers briefly considered canceling that year’s Fruit Crop Guesstimate – the annual meeting held to estimate the size of Michigan’s,... more »

Washington cherry crop took beating from rain, heat

Heavy rain and now blistering hot weather has made this a year to remember – or maybe quickly forget – for Washington cherry growers.Recent rain and fickle weather earlier in the year decimated this year's... more »