02/13/07 5-Year Plan

5-Year Plan. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. POLLARD: Last year we put together a 5-year business plan. It was the first time we had actually looked 5 years out rather than just an annual marketing plan. We did that because we knew we needed to keep a step ahead, we knew that it's very competitive and for those of you in the business for which we serve, you needed to know the direction the commission was taking. That's Robin Pollard, Executive Director of the Washington Wine Commission talking to the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers at their annual meeting. According to Pollard, the rest of the industry has been noticing. POLLARD: When I travel around the state or the country or abroad it's the one thing I hear most often besides our fabulous product is the fact that wow, you have such a unified industry in Washington State. It is so unique and it is something special that we need to hang on to. Pollard praised the attendees for their work and growth. POLLARD: You are the largest and fastest growing sector in the agriculture industry. You are responsible for turning around communities and having a real economic impact. Pollard says it's important for the wine industry to support the establishment of a statewide viticulture and enology education program. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.