Despite the costs and paperwork, Mascari says the H-2A program is still more cost effective than adopting some of the tech breakthroughs coming available. “We’re currently testing new technologies in the orchards, but since orchards aren’t standard and our pickers need to make many important decisions on harvesting the right fruit, manual labor is still the most effective route for us. I believe we’ll see a blend of modern technologies and human labor sooner rather than later,” Mascari continues, “to help relieve some of the stressors on the labor force.”
The growers, pickers, and packers aren’t the only workers affected by the apple harvest—the transportation industry is also influenced by yields and problems.
FRESH FORUM
Are you devoting more acreage to new varieties?Nick Mascari, All Fresh GPS
Yes; we’re pushing out a lot of old varieties and growing more Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Gala. We’re also testing new ones like Cosmic Crisp, SweeTango, Kanzi, and Kiku. Michigan grows a punchy, juicy apple.David Henze, Fourth Leaf Fruit Company
Our grower/partners are definitely devoting acreage to new varieties. However, we have some concerns there will be so many new varieties that the consumer will have a hard time understanding the specific brand promise. We’re developing branding above the individual variety level.Jim Allen, New York Apple Sales
As a shipper, I still see Delicious as our number one seller, but we also emphasize newer varieties like Honeycrisp, and club varieties including Cosmic Crisp, Koru, Jazz, and Envy.Andy Tudor, Rainier Fruit Company
Rainier is very committed to farming organic and we have been for almost two decades now. We grow…apples, pears, cherries, [and] blueberries with the best methodology.Roger Pepperl, Stemilt Growers
We continue to plant the newest varieties like Cosmic Crisp, Royal Honeycrisp (a higher color and prettier version of Honeycrisp), Premier Honeycrisp (an early harvester), and Aztec Fuji (high color, great flavor, and very storable). We’ll also increase the SweeTango plantings.Sally Symms, Symms Fruit Ranch, Inc.
We’re always working on growing and planting new trees each year, and recently dedicated new acreage to an early season Gala. Our new planting will have its first crop next season (2018); and the timing ideally will fall between the last week in July and second week of August.
Shippers Weigh In
A number of freight businesses in Washington State depend on a flush apple crop. This year’s apple business (last fall’s harvest) is good, but not quite as good as the past couple of years, says Scott Murphy, president of Northwest Brokerage Services, Inc. in Yakima. Approximately 85 to 90 percent of Northwest Brokerage’s business is hauling apples, with the rest comprised of other fruits and vegetables grown locally.
