Cherry & Stone Fruit Assessment

Cherry & Stone Fruit Assessment. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

It has taken a bit of time but the cherry and stone fruit growers throughout the state have agreed to make a $5 million investment over the next eight years at Washington State University research and extension centers in Prosser and Wenatchee. This builds on a similar measure voted on by apple and pear growers in 2011. The Ag Networks David Sparks has more.

SPARKS: Cherry growers will be assessed $4 per ton and stone fruit growers $1 per ton and the investment comes at a time when the state's $46 billion food and agriculture industry continues to increase its contribution to the state’s economy. Annually, the Washington tree fruit industry accounts for more than $7 billion of economic impact, with more than a third of that derived from exports. Cherry and stone fruit growers rejected a similar measure in 2011 and it was then that many industry leaders felt it was imperative to try again.

Thanks David. Dan Bernardo, vice president for agriculture and extension and dean of the WSU College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences said this supports three critical factors, quote, "The first is the commitment and foresight of an extremely progressive industry. The second is the long history of quality contributions by our gifted and dedicated scientists and extension professionals at WSU who work tirelessly to serve the industry. And third is the trust and respect built between the two during a century-long partnership.”

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