Fruit Year Review Wrap Up

Fruit Year Review Wrap Up

Fruit Year Review Wrap Up. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report.

We've been looking at a variety of stories from this past year that affected the fruit industry and while we've mentioned the continuing pollinator problem, one insect expert, Mary Kay Malinoski said there is another issue affecting the bees.

MALINOSKI: A lot of places I've noticed, especially new developments, they tend to put plants in that don't flower. They'll use a lot of evergreens that may not produce pollen and they have more of a sterile landscape so the idea is to try to get people to diversify their landscape and put in a mixture of things.

Speaking of bees, the State Legislature finally passed Senate Bill 6057 giving beekeepers a new tax status. Mark Emrich, President of the Washington State Beekeepers Association explains.

EMRICH: We're no longer a service organization which we would pay B&O tax. We would pay federal excise tax on all of our food and we would also be paying sales tax in some situations on the sale of products out of the hive whether it was honey or propolis or bees wax.

Another issue that came up that was not been received very well by ag producers who provide housing for workers were new housing regulations. Washington State Tree Fruit Association Director of Regulatory and Industry Affairs, Ranie Haas.

HAAS: Probably the biggest one I would have to say is an increase in the square footage required over worker, carbon monoxide detectors, locks to bedroom doors in addition to exterior doors, toilet/shower partitions in common bathrooms. There's definitely some big changes that could be very costly.

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

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