Small Apple Growers Seek To Be Part Of The Club
May 1, 2009 Possessing the power to maintain high quality standards is one of the benefits of participating in the program of a managed — or club, as they are often referred to by growers — apple variety. The marketing programs for managed varieties are underwritten by royalties. Growers who participate in these programs “own� a standout variety of apple which lends itself to be marketed as a strong brand, provided the variety is successful with retailers and consumers.
But what about the growers who do not get to be “part of the club?� It can be extremely difficult, for a variety of reasons, for small apple growers to be accepted into the programs for managed varieties. How much of a chance do these growers have to get involved with these programs, and what are the implications for the small, direct marketing growers who are unable to do so?
The impact can be significant. As Phil Baugher of Adams County Nursery, Aspers, PA, points out, the presence of managed varieties means that access to some new plant genetics is limited for the growers who are not accepted into one of these programs. “Historically, breeding programs have provided a parade of varieties. All growers had access to these new varieties. That has changed with the emergence of these new branded varieties,� he says.
The Hurdles
It is the logistics of managed variety programs that can make the involvement of small growers a challenge. Assembling and executing a management program takes a great deal of work and coordination, so it is often easier to do so with a smaller group of large growers.
Part of program members’ hesitation stems from the reality that a small grower runs a larger risk to his or her operation than a large grower does when he or she grows a managed variety. This is because small growers do not have the financial and production base over which to spread their risk. A small grower may very well end up investing most of his or her acreage in the managed variety, which can be a dangerous gamble.
Packers are also part of the equation; before deciding to take part in a program, they will determine whether or not the affiliated marketing organization has the ability to create the type of marketing program required to promote managed varieties.
A Fighting Chance
The good news is, it is entirely possible for small growers to get involved with managed varieties. However, doing so is going to take a lot of grit — first to fight for a place in one of the programs, and second to brace for the high chances of profit loss in the event the variety does not succeed in the market.
Most managed variety programs are closed, meaning that the growers eligible to participate are limited to those growers who are members of the program. For example, SweeTango was developed at the University of Minnesota and is managed by Pepin Heights Orchard under a cooperative agreement called The Next Big Thing. The variety is limited to members of the co-op, so retail growers would be unable to purchase the trees.
Any grower, regardless of the size of their operation, can participate provided they are accepted into the program. To increase their chances of being accepted, Extension specialist Dr. Robert Crassweller of Penn State University suggests small growers propose to grow a limited number, about 50 trees, of the variety.
In addition, small growers must communicate their interest to the warehouse and the nursery or breeding program in which they are interested. In order for the small grower to find success with a managed variety, the chosen warehouse must be willing to coordinate the program for the grower.
Large growers have the luxury of waiting for nurseries and breeding programs with patented varieties to approach them, but small growers must be assertive, both in choosing a warehouse and courting a nursery or breeding program.
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