AgroFresh hosts Washington postharvest academy

Apples are the centerpiece of an AgroFresh Solutions May 8 event in Washington state.

Together with recently acquired Pace International, AgroFresh is planning to host the 2024 Post-Harvest Academy in Cle Elum, Washington.

The invitation-only event will focus on the apple industry and feature leading industry voices from Washington State University among other distinguished presenters.

The agenda at the 2024 event will include key topics, such as emerging diseases and internal disorders in apples, navigating organic regulations and the role of ethylene management in apple quality.

Presenters

Featured presenters from Washington State University include:

• Carolina Torres, PhD, associate professor, endowed chair in postharvest systems
• Achour Amiri, associate professor of plant pathology
• Desmond O’Rourke, president, Belrose, Inc.
• Simone Seifert-Higgins, AgroFresh regulatory manager
• Jim Spadafora, AgroFresh director, global product development

“Coping with a Changing World,” a presentation by O’Rourke, is designed to provide industry insights as he conducts his annual marketing analysis of deciduous fruits worldwide.

Belrose is known for publications including the World Apple Review, World Pear Review, World Kiwifruit Review and World Sweet Cherry Review.

“To overcome future challenges and exploit opportunities, the northwest fruit industry needs to develop a much more comprehensive database on its supply, orchard, packing and marketing system to effectively address future challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities,” O’Rourke said in a news release.

The event will conclude with a future-focused panel discussion on empowering the digital transformation in individual operations.

“The acquisition of Pace International by AgroFresh in March provided an exciting opportunity to continue the tradition of the Post-Harvest Academy for a 12th consecutive year,” Rodrigo Cifuentes, AgroFresh’s recently named regional commercial director, North America, said in the release. “We eagerly anticipate the exceptional learning — and important engagement — that will occur at this year’s event.”

Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, AgroFresh works to prevent food loss and waste and conserve resources by providing a range of products, technologies and services. To improve the quality and extend the shelf life of fresh produce, AgroFresh supports growers, packers and retailers with products across the food supply chain and a variety of crops including apples, cherries, grapes, pears, stone fruit, berries, melons, broccoli and tomatoes.

Possessing 40 years of postharvest experience, AgroFresh works in more than 50 countries through eight research facilities in major fruit growing regions.