November 2019 - 6

Brett Anderson looks at an old newspaper clipping about Sparta, Michigan, apple growers.
His family has farmed in the area for more than a century.
ANDERSON
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
as gourmet firewood. Those sales
financed a college degree in history
and political science. He then built
the orchards back up while selling
crop insurance - a sideline that he
continues to work at today.
Today, the farm grows Gala,
Honeycrisp, Fuji and EverCrisp -
the MAIA 1 cultivar released by
the Midwest Apple Improvement
Association. Orchards of EverCrisp
are still young, and Anderson said he
is still learning about them from other
growers, including departing MSHS
President Chris Kropf.
" We're really excited about it, "
Anderson said. " We're a little
concerned at the beginning of the
appearance of the apple, but the eating
experience of it is so different, it's so
unique, that I think it'll hold for itself. "
Young EverCrisp trees can produce
apples with a " muddy " color, but
Anderson said the color gets better with
the age of the tree - and for premium
eating apples like Honeycrisp, looks
aren't everything, anyway.
" The EverCrisp, you can put on your
counter for literally months, and it will
keep just phenomenally, " Anderson said.
The apple is just one example of how
growers like Anderson are trying to
improve their orchard operations.
" We're trying to be forward thinkers,
looking to the future as far as our
planting systems, but also the varieties
that we grow, trying to stay with the
marketplace, " he said.
Apple advocacy
Anderson has been able to put
his political science degree to work
advocating for apple growers in
Washington, D.C. Hot topics include
lowering foreign tariffs and keeping
labor costs down. If U.S. apple exports
fall dramatically, the domestic market
could flood with apples, lowering
prices for all growers.
Even though Michigan and Eastern
states sell most of their apples
domestically, they would feel the
Western states' pain in such a scenario,
he said.
" We have an advantage of location
over them, but any downward pressure
in the market doesn't help, " he said.
Empty bins wait to be filled with apples at A&B Orchards. Photos: Stephen Kloosterman
At the same time, labor costs are
" skyrocketing, " he said.
" We want to make sure that the
adverse wage rate is kept in check, "
said Anderson, who once was an intern
for former congressman Vern Ehlers.
" It's been increasing at an exponential
rate, much higher than the current
wages are in our industry, or any
industry for that matter. "
As an industry leader for 150 years,
the MSHS is not without political
clout, Anderson said. Politicians listen
when the president or the society's
secretary picks up the phone on behalf
of other growers.
" I definitely believe as an industry we
need to have a unified voice, " he said.
A bright future
Anderson is upbeat on what
the following years will bring for
Michigan growers.
" We have distinct geographic
advantages, " he said, great
infrastructure, and " great people
to carry that through. We have the
varieties that the market wants. "
MSHS is part of that. The group
raises funds through hosting the Great
Lakes Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market
EXPO's trade show and education
sessions, and funds some industry
scholarships in addition to sponsoring
research projects that line up with the
growers' needs.
" Research has always been our
bread and butter, " Anderson said.
" Everything I know, I've learned on the
back of somebody else who's done it or
tried it. "
Anderson said he's most excited
about the re-invigoration of MSU's
Clarksville Research Center. When
Anderson first came on board at the
MSHS several years ago, there was
a possibility the center would be
closed, but with the establishment of
the Michigan Tree Fruit Commission
in 2014, the facility is now running
healthily.
His farm is also positioned well for
the future.
AB Orchards, which for two
generations has been run just by one
Anderson, is set up for plenty of help
in the future. Brett and his wife Traci
have four boys: Logan, Lucas, Calvin
and Spencer.
" The Anderson Brothers are back, " he
said. " We love to be able to feed God's
people and supply our world. " FGN
6 | FruitGrowersNews.com
http://www.FruitGrowersNews.com
November 2019

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