Young Growers The Focus Of Industry Programming, Reception
April 30, 2016 
Young Growers are pictured with Wally Heuser (center front row), the first IFTA president. (Photo credit: Christina Herrick)
During the recent International Fruit Tree Association Conference, IFTA and American Fruit Grower® magazine recognized the association’s young grower scholarship recipients.
While at the reception, these young growers swapped hats and t-shirts from their orchards as well as production tips and techniques. IFTA board members presented each young grower with a lapel pin and a load of encouragement.
“If you want to be successful, this is where you want to be,” Rod Farrow, IFTA vice president and co-owner of Fish Creek Orchards said. “[This organization is] one of the three best things to happen to me.”
There’s a definite change in the industry, and you can feel it. There’s a groundswell of momentum as the next generation is returning to the orchard and the tree fruit industry is recognizing this change in the wind.
“There’s never finer people, and never a finer organization,” Larry Lutz, former IFTA president and tree fruit specialist with Scotian Gold said.
“The networking you’ll have and the friends you will make, it’s like family,” said former IFTA president Phil Schwallier.
At the reception, young growers had the chance to speak with the first IFTA president Wallace Heuser, who helped grow and build the organization from 300 people in an apple storage building in Hartford, MI, to the organization it is today.
From Young Grower To Young Professional
Recognizing there is interest on many levels in the tree fruit industry, IFTA is has renamed the emerging leaders in the tree fruit industry as Young Professionals. The organization is accepting applications for its Young Professional Scholarship Program for the summer tour in New York and the annual conference in Wenatchee, WA.
“I really feel this is one of the most important things IFTA is doing right now,” says IFTA board member Wanda Heuser Gale. “If we can educate our young people, we can do just about anything.”
The IFTA board has 10 $500 scholarships allocated for young professionals to attend the summer tour in New York. All young persons involved in the tree fruit industry are invited to apply.
IFTA is also soliciting donations for its Young Professional Scholarship Program. More information and applications are available at the IFTA website.