09/29/06 Joining Forces

Joining forces. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. According to Jeff Boullioun, his new agreement with Stemilt Growers just couldn't get any better. BOULLIOUN: This is the perfect scenario for a small farmer. To be able to, if he can produce a good crop and package it accordingly, and retain his individual identity; and then have the worlds largest marketer of apples and pears to be your marketer, it couldn't get any better than that. Jeff and his wife Kristine own and operate Busy Bee Orchards in northern Washington. BOULLIOUN: We have come to a mutual agreement and understanding that currently we are packaging up our certified organic Asian pears under the Busy Bee label which is our orchard, and they are marketing it through Stemilt's marketing using our name, Busy Bee. The Asian Pears are still relatively unknown. BOULLIOUN: It's a cross between and apple and a pear. In the world there are about 85 varieties of Asian pears grown throughout the world. It's very popular in the Asian community, Asian continent. They have not really caught on in a big way in the United States. The one distinct advantage that I see on the Asian pears that we grow, basically they're tree ripened. So that means when you pick it and put it in a box and ship it to the retailer for the consumer, the consumer can eat it right then on the spot. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.