01/30/09 Apple Commission

Apple Commission. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. The Washington State Apple Advertising Commission was created by an act of the Washington State Legislature in 1937 at the request of the apple industry. It is one of the oldest and largest commodity commissions in the U.S. Todd Fryhover is the current president of the Commission and during the recent Hort Association meeting Fryhover took a look at how the Apple Commission and the growers have been growing together. FRYHOVER: For decades the Washington Apple Commission has been promoting apples internationally and in such a season as we've had this year the international sales are going to be critical in taking the price pressure off the domestic market. The Commission has promotional activities going in 27 unique markets and sees shipments of apples to over 60 international destinations. To make all this happen there are 13 representatives. FRYHOVER: This worldwide network of promotion and marketing specialists is derived from leveraging your grower resources in combination with the foreign agricultural service through the MAP program which is the Market Access Program. Fryhover says that the programs don't stop in the exports markets. FRYHOVER: We bring importers to Washington to develop mutually beneficial relationships with suppliers. In October, 12 Russian importers visited Washington to meet with industry leaders and to learn more about our industry. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.