Jan 2, 2025

WSTFA reflects on 2024

The Washington State Tree Fruit Association (WSTFA) is reflecting on the year that was.

In the WSTFA’s 2024 Year in Review, the organization reviews opportunities and adversities for Washington’s most iconic crops

While there were successes in parts of the 2024 harvest, long-term challenges highlight the difficulties facing the future of this important industry in Washington, according to a news release.

In 2024, Washington state tree fruit growers delivered the nation’s largest harvests in sweet cherries and apples, and one of the largest in pears, benefiting state and national economies, and delivering high-quality, nutritious fruit to consumers around the world. Growers also faced continued challenges from inclement weather and drought; rising costs in energy, labor, and transportation; and foreign competition.

“It was a strong year for the state’s sweet cherries and apples, but a severe freeze in January 2024 significantly impacted this year’s pear crop, resulting in a drop in production,” Jon DeVaney, WSTFA president, said in the release. “What remains positive is our growers’ ability to deliver high-quality fruit that is prized in domestic and foreign markets, despite myriad challenges.”

Apples remain important in Washington, as the leading crop produced in the state as measured by value. 2024 saw a return to a more normal growing season following two unusual years. Moderate spring and summer weather helped growers deliver a robust crop of high quality across all varietals.

The harvest continued a growing trend of higher production of organic apples and new varietals including Cosmic Crisp. Launched in 2019, the new variety was developed by Washington State University and was specifically selected to grow well in Central and Eastern Washington. The most popular Washington apple varieties remain Gala, Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Honeycrisp, and Fuji.

The 2024 cherry harvest was a much welcomed and much needed return to normal. The 2023 cherry harvest was declared a natural disaster by the USDA, partly due to unseasonable weather in Washington and California which resulted in losses to growers and damage to markets as harvest timing was compressed. The 2024 cherry harvest was nearly 12% larger than the previous year.

“This year’s cherry harvest was a welcome relief for our growers,” DeVaney said in the release. “While the harvest was good, it did not completely make up for losses in the previous two years. Looking to 2025, we hope for another productive harvest in cherries.”

The 2024 pear harvest was particularly challenging. A historically deep freeze in January damaged this year’s crop and growers saw a harvest only two-thirds as big as the previous year.

Apple growers were helped in 2024 by a full year of sales to India, the world’s most populous country and an important export market. Members of the Washington Congressional delegation worked with India in 2023 to end retaliatory tariffs on apples, and as a result the state sold nearly 2.3 million boxes of apples to India.

A continued shortage of agricultural labor and the persistent increase in labor costs exceeding the rate for other sectors of the economy remains a major challenge for the state’s tree fruit growers, who cannot pass on these costs to their customers. There are not nearly enough domestic workers to deliver a harvest, so growers supplement their needs for workers through H-2A contracts, a federal program to bring temporary workers into Washington from other countries.

“We are looking to our lawmakers for reforms to the H-2A program that would stabilize wage increases and ensure that compensation is both fair and sustainable,” DeVaney said in the release. “Farm workers in Washington enjoy some of the highest compensation and labor standards in the nation, but policymakers need to consider the cost of complying with these requirements and ensure that regulations are not unnecessarily burdensome or costly.”

In 2025, Washington state tree fruit growers will also continue to research innovative ways to adapt to climate change and conserve resources. Also, tree fruit growers will continue to invest in research to develop new varieties of fruit, such as Cosmic Crisp apples, that will be tailored to consumer tastes, growing conditions in Washington, and which are more resilient to pests, diseases, and weather events.

Based in Yakima, Washington, the Washington State Tree Fruit Association (WSTFA) represents the growers, packers and marketers of Washington apples, pears, and sweet cherries. The association provides education and training, data, and statistics for informed market and production decisions, and public and government advocacy for the industry.