Opinion: In Tree Fruit Growing, Everything Old Is New Again

David EddyNot long after learning Michigan’s tree fruit producers approved a referendum to establish the Michigan Tree Fruit Research & Development Program (click here for details on the Michigan Tree Fruit Commission) I happened to be flipping through a past April edition of Western Fruit Grower, and was struck by an editorial on what it takes to be a successful fruit grower.

Advertisement

“To accomplish any measure of success, he will need to keep abreast of the latest and best information available, to scrutinize his every operation, to do the most competent job of management possible. On the other hand, as a member of a producer group he needs to join together with his fellow producers to accomplish many important objectives beyond his attainment as an individual.”

Most Michigan growers, or at least the majority that voted on the referendum, realize that’s as true today as when that statement was published — in April, 1954. It may be even more true today than it was 60 years ago, as funding for research at land grant universities has been drying up for some time, and the Extension ranks have diminished.

It’s heartening to see that Michigan growers aren’t willing to take these cuts lying down, much like their counterparts in Washington did in two separate votes, one in 2011, and another 2013. Part of “The Campaign for Washington State University,” they plan to generate $32 million for research over an eight-year span.

I called Michigan State University Extension educator Phil Schwallier’s cell with the vote tallies of his state’s referendum, and he was understandably pleased. “I think this is a wonderful event; it’s very important for the state’s tree fruit industry to take hold of its future,” he said. “It’s important to tax ourselves to help ourselves.”

Top Articles
Have a Plan For Climate Change? Why Fruit Growers Need To Act Now

Schwallier happened to be traveling with a colleague, Amy Irish-Brown, and he passed the phone to her so I could get her take. “It’s a pay-to-play mentality,” she said. “If you want something, you need to show it by putting in your own money.”

It’s inspiring to see the growers working together in both Washington and Michigan to fund cutting-edge research, investing in their future —something fruit growers in other states should consider. As my own counterpart put it all those years ago regarding problems facing the industry: “One grower can do nothing about them, but an organized group can accomplish a great deal.”

Timeless Advice
Oddly enough, there was another editorial on the same page of that Western Fruit Grower issue that came out 60 years ago this month that applied today, especially with the drought in California. “The fact is that water is an invaluable resource, and in most of our Pacific Coast fruit districts it is limited in supply. … The time is rapidly approaching when every western fruit grower will be obliged to take all steps to avoid waste.”

Here’s how, the editor writes: “The decision as to how to irrigate should be based on many factors: the nature and depth of the root zone, the type of crop, the climate, and the orchard management program generally, including your equipment and the availability of manpower. The decision as to when to irrigate should be based on the amount of moisture in the soil and the daily use rate.”

Timeless advice, and it couldn’t be more timely today. Because the topic of water supply has been such a downer for fruit growers for virtually all of the Golden State’s supposed rainy season, I’ll let that editor from the 1950s take us out on a high note.

“The gratifying fact is that those fruit growers who go about developing a sound irrigation program based on full consideration of these factors find that the vigor and productiveness of their orchard more than justifies the effort they have made.”

0