April 2022 - 32

U.S. APPLE
Pollinator practices, labor awareness game unveiled
TRACY GRONDINE
Vice President,
Communications
U.S. Apple Association
tgrondine@usapple.org
The U.S. Apple Association released in
March its new publication, Pollinator Best
Management Practices for Apples. The
publication, created in partnership with
the Honey Bee Health Coalition, can be
viewed and downloaded at USApple.org.
Apples are an important pollinatordependent
crop grown for commercial
production on 295,000 acres in the U.S.
As growers respond to greater demands
for advancements in sustainability,
USApple believes this document will be
a valuable tool.
" One-third of the food we eat begins
with pollinators, and each year they are
the genesis of $21 billion in economic
activity in apples alone, " said USApple
President and CEO Jim Bair. " Protecting
pollinators is not just the ethically and
environmentally right thing to do, it's also
good for our businesses. "
Pollinator Best Management Practices
for Apples provides guidance for U.S.
growers and regulators on pollinator
protection in orchards. The document
considers practical production needs and
suggests elements of an outreach and
education program to foster adoption
and implementation of identified
practices. The goal of the work is to
increase understanding within the
U.S. apple growing community of
the benefits and opportunities around
protecting pollinators, while also
recognizing the need to protect the crop
from pest damage.
Apple Quest is a new online game introduced by the U.S.
Apple Association that informs players about the importance
of laborers in the apple production process.
" The Honey Bee Health Coalition
is pleased to have facilitated the
development of this document that will
provide practice recommendations to
U.S. apple growers on how to improve
the health of pollinators in their
orchards, " said Matt Mulica, facilitator
of the Honey Bee Health Coalition.
" This process brought together apple
growers, commercial beekeepers, and
researchers to discuss issues related
to bee health in orchards and provide
specific actions to protect bees and
enhance pollination services. "
Funded by USApple, the organization
for the past year has worked with
the Honey Bee Health Coalition and
its technical experts to create the
publication, which is finished just in
time for apple bloom.
" It's gratifying to see the results of our
shared vision with the Honey Bee Health
Coalition and the collective knowledge
of the technical experts, " concluded
Bair. " USApple, retailers and customers
believe sustainability is critical, and
these BMPs will be a helpful tool for
The U.S. Apple Association has released a new publication, Pollinator
Best Management Practices for Apples.
continuing and expanding the efforts that
are already underway.
Online 'game show'
The U.S. Apple Association on
March 9 launched Apple Quest, an
online game that informs players about
the important role apple laborers play
in the U.S. economy and the need for a
stable, legal and reliable workforce. The
throwback, 8-bit, single-player game is at
www.USAppleQuest.com.
Apple production - growing, pruning,
harvesting and packing - is highly laborintensive.
The U.S. apple industry is
heavily dependent on migrant labor to
fill these jobs. Yet, every year, because
of a broken labor system, growers from
coast to coast, large and small, report
worker shortages.
" Picking fruit is physically demanding
and requires skill and experience, " said
USApple Senior Vice President Diane
Kurrle. " Growers and rural communities
depend on these harvest workers who, on
average, create and sustain three to four
permanent year-round jobs, many of them
in rural communities. Losing our foreignborn
workforce would have the same
economic impact on these communities
as factories closing and moving to other
countries. We're hoping this game puts
a spotlight on the critical shortage of
agricultural labor in the apple industry and
its impact on the overall economy. "
Each year, the U.S. apple industry is
responsible for $21 billion in total economic
output, $13 billion of which is directly
tied to U.S. apple operations. Last year, 29
billion apples were harvested in the U.S.,
even as agricultural labor shortages affected
the industry far and wide.
" Labor policies need to level up to
meet the needs of a thriving agricultural
economy, " said Kurrle. " USApple is urging
Congress to pass legislation that provides
meaningful agricultural labor reform. "
Anyone can play Apple Quest on
their computer or handheld device by
going to www.USAppleQuest.com.
" You'll have to be quick to catch the
apples before they fall, " says Kurrle,
" And you'll also learn about the
important role apple laborers play. " FGN
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April 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2022
