Fruit Grower Report

During the past ten years, U.S. imports of fruits and vegetables have climbed significantly.

Wildfires are filling our news with stories and our air with smoke this summer, while farmers across the state are worried about their harvests.

It’s no secret that finding adequate, affordable ag labor is a huge challenge for farmers, especially in recent years.

Technology is changing the way we live at a rapid pace, and that includes how we produce our food.

Some big changes or updates have been made and will be made at Good Fruit Grower Magazine, celebrating their 80th year in publication, by keeping up with the times.

U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse says with the labor shortages and high expenses, there is a lot of misinterpretations of the ag labor force in general.

H-2A reform is just one of many labor challenges farmers are facing today that need to be fixed.

House Ag Chair GT Thompson’s “Securing Agricultural Workforce Act” offers a cap on year-to-year increases in the wage rate.

Ag technology companies from around the world will be in Yakima in October for FIRA USA, a conference and trade show where growers can connect with tech companies.

Attention specialty crop farmers: if your 2025 crops were impacted by input costs or natural disasters, TODAY is the deadline to finish your application for the USDA’s Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers program.

It been a fantastic few weeks for many future college students from the tree fruit industry who are about to realize their dreams.

The Senate Ag Committee’s farm bill markup is scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday.

If you’re familiar with, or have attended the Cherry Institute in the past, there are some changes coming you might want to hear.

It’s become very popular over the past five or so years, and the Cosmic Crisp apple came to us with no artificial assistance.

USDA is reminding agricultural producers affected by rising production costs that the deadline to apply for key financial assistance programs is fast approaching.

If you’re a fan of the Cougars, Northwest Cherries, or pears grown in Washington and Oregon, July has been a special month with the WSU Homegrown Tour.

U.S. Representative, Dan Newhouse says current legislation being considered, the ‘Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act’ could do so much to help improve the H-2A system.

A lot of attention in the tree fruit industry recently has been paid to the bankruptcy filing by Gebber’s Farms last month.

There has been a big change to estimating what the Washington apple crop will look like from year to year.

U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse says that the enough ag employers have been sounding the alarm, and more lawmakers may now have received the message.

Northwest cherry harvest got off to one of its earliest starts this year, but it has been a decent year for cherry production volume wise, with outstanding quality.

When it comes to agriculture’s impact on Washington’s economy, food production doesn’t get nearly the recognition it deserves.

If you’ve been putting it off, now is the time to register for next month’s annual Washington State Tree Fruit Association Golf Tournament.

As legislators continue to pour more harmful laws and regulations on to the backs of farmers in Washington state, it begs the question, do they just not understand agriculture?

If you grow tree fruit in these difficult times, or any other specialty crop for that matter, a deadline for assistance is fast approaching.