2010 Fruit Year in Review Part 4

2010 Fruit Year in Review Part 4

 2010 Tree Fruit Year in Review Part 4. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

The wine industry had a good year in 2010 although a bit on the short side. A number of new wineries came online and several wine varieties wound up getting some national attention in the Robb Report. Ryan Pennington, the Public Relations Director for the Washington Wine Commission.
PENNINGTON: Just the fact that they’ve decided to feature the northwest and that Washington was called out so prominently in their feature we think speaks very well to the rising influence and awareness of Washington State as producing world class wines.

Washington Governor Christine Gregoire led a group of ag leaders and others on a two-week trade mission to China and Vietnam. Todd Fryhover, President of the Washington Apple Commission was a part of that group and was pleased with the outcome.
FRYHOVER: China, of course, is one of our priorities. They’re, of course, the world’s largest producer of apples but they’re our 4th largest importer of Washington apples as well. In general the Governor’s mission went fantastically.

Finally Washington State proposed to increase the already high minimum wage. Scott Dilley, Washington State Farm Bureau’s Public Policy Analyst said they’re trying to make sure farmers don’t get gouged.
DILLEY: Last week we began the process of filing a lawsuit against the State Department of Labor and Industries and at issue is the recent announcement by Labor and Industries that the state minimum wage go up by 12 cents next year. And what we are relying on in the lawsuit is the State Attorney General’s opinion which came out in mid-September.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.

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