June 2022 - 4

EDITOR'S LETTER
Fruit
An introduction, and
recognition of common issues
facing many growers
Although this is my first column for Fruit Growers News, I'm hoping many
of you recognize my name or face. Before becoming the managing editor for
FGN and sister publication Vegetable Growers
News, I spent more than two decades at The
Packer newspaper.
Perhaps I've visited your farm - over the
years, I toured Michigan fruit and vegetable
operations, New Jersey blueberry and other
fruit farms and vegetable fields, California
grape vineyards and stone fruit orchards,
Vidalia onion fields, potato production areas in
Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Wisconsin,
onion and vegetable fields in the Rio Grande
Valley of Texas and around California's Salinas
Valley, aka the Salad Bowl of the World.
As a writer and editor at my previous job, my
Growers
News.com
WATCH. READ. SHARE
FRUITGROWERSNEWS.COM
Northwest cherry crop down, but plenty to
promote
The Northwest cherry crop is developing
beautifully but slowly, according to
Northwest Cherry Growers, which puts the
season's first production estimate at 150,468
tons (15.05 million 20-pound cartons).
Chris Koger
Managing Editor
USDA's new Emergency Relief Program kicks
off with $10 billion
ultimate role was to inform retailers, foodservice operators and others who
buy and sell fresh produce about current industry trends, crop conditions and
numerous other factors that affect prices, quality and availability of fresh
fruits and vegetables. Sometimes those market factors were a direct result of
decisions made by you, the growers, but increasingly it seems that many of
those decisions aren't yours to make any more.
Mother Nature has always been a partner in the growing process, a
partnership every grower agrees to whenever a seed or tree is planted.
Lately, it seems she has been hell-bent to undermine your work, with storms,
wildfires, droughts and other natural occurrences. Dwindling water supplies
and lack of rainfall in major growing areas is not a new development for
specialty agriculture, but the situation is becoming dire in some areas.
Mainstream news sources seem to be taking more of a role in alerting
the greater population about the reality of dwindling water availability for
everyone, not just agribusinesses. One of the most macabre news stories
in recent months surely drove the message home to many Southwest U.S.
residents: the water levels in Lake Mead continue to recede, uncovering what's
been hidden at the bottom of the lake. Two bodies have been revealed by the
receding water, and officials expect more will be found - Lake Mead water
levels are forecast to drop another 12 feet by this fall.
Surely, more than a few of the millions of people who depend on Lake Mead
for municipal water will think twice before watering their lawn for hours or
frequently washing their vehicle. It's one thing to accept the possibility of
human remains in the lake (it's close to Las Vegas, for one thing), but thinking
of the body count every time you fill a glass or use tap water to cook requires
a level of introspection many would want to avoid.
Other challenges that FGN and VGN readers see as growing obstacles include
labor availability. In some cases, the evolution of technology is mitigating
the lack of labor, and the cost of adding that technology is becoming more
affordable. Whether it's automatic harvesting or planting equipment that cuts
the need for workers in a field, or packinghouse equipment that reduces the
need for hands on the packing line, options to address concerns about lack of
labor are becoming a reality for more fruit and vegetable growers.
Many of these issues have been discussed at fruit and vegetable field days
across the country this spring, and continue to be a topic at summer and fall
events. While it's not feasible for us to be at all local, regional or state events
at FGN and VGN, we're working with the academic community, from college
of agriculture professors and horticulture departments to numerous Extension
agents in fruit and vegetable orchards and fields to help us keep you informed
of the issues that affect your businesses.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm
Service Agency is mailing applications for
the Emergency Relief Program (ERP), to help
offset losses caused by wildfires, droughts,
hurricanes and other natural disasters in
2020 and 2021.
Grapevine pest found in California wine
county
Napa County, California, agricultural officials
are asking growers to be alert after a single
adult western grapeleaf skeletonizer, a
" voracious " eater of grape leaves, was found
in a major wine production area.
Washington wine industry launches
sustainable certification program
The Washington wine industry launched the
state's first statewide certified sustainability
program for wine grapes, signifying a
commitment to quality fruit, environmental
stewardship and healthy communities.
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THEY SAID IT
What does the future of farming look like? I don't quite know, but
the premise thus far has always been pushing economies of scale
by creating bigger machinery, controlling your fleets through intelligent
software, planning (and) analyzing to crank out that last bit of improvement. "
- ALEXANDER LANDER, INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER AND CO-FOUNDER OF SCHMIEDE
P. 9
4 | FruitGrowersNews.com
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June 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2022
