Good Fruit Grower

December 2011

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Committee to advise on endowments A Funds from three new WSU endowments will benefit the apple and pear industries only. by Geraldine Warner n industry advisory committee has been formed to work with Washington State University to decide how to spend the money that will be generated by a spe- cial research assessment on Washington apples and pears. The $1-per-ton assessment, which goes into effect with the 2012 crops, will provide $11 million for six endowed chairs to support WSU's tree fruit research pro- grams in perpetuity. Another $11 million endowment will fund several new posi- tions in information and technology transfer. These nontenured positions will work with WSU Extension and focus on industry priorities. The special assessment will also provide $5 million for an endowment to support WSU's research orchards in Wenatchee and Prosser. Extension Dr. Jim McFerson, manager of the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commis- sion, said the new initiative in informa- tion and technology transfer will build on "We're going to do our very best to make sure that every dollar…is apportioned to the crop based on the revenues we received." —Jim McFerson existing extension capabilities. "We have some of the very best extension personnel in the world," he said. "The problem is, we don't have very many of them." WSU recently reorganized Extension so that its personnel are assigned to statewide program units rather than geo- graphic units as in the past. There are three program units: agriculture and nat- ural resources, youth and family, and community and economic development. Tree fruit extension educators Tim Smith, Karen Lewis, and Gwen Hoheisel are no longer tasked with serving the counties in which they are located, but now work on a statewide basis, said Dr. Randy Baldree, who heads the agriculture and natural resources program unit. There is no longer an open extension position dedicated to Yakima County. Most extension personnel will still be located in county offices and research and extension centers, however. New positions As a result of the extension reorganiza- tion, which took effect in September, WSU is planning to create two new positions. One is a director of Extension, who will also serve as associate dean under Dr. 8 DECEMBER 2011 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com Unlike Any Other Storage/Shipping System In The Industry. •Willow Drive Nursery is our choice for quality fruit trees. As a long-standing Willow Drive customer, we have come to appreciate the consistent, high quality product they deliver year in and year out. Customer service at Willow Drive is exceptional. They respond to our questions and needs in a prompt and professional manner, making the tree-buying experience one less thing to worry about." - Marcus Griggs, Orondo, WA •Willow Drive's method of storing and shipping trees gets my orchard off to a profitable start. I value the flexibility of planting on my schedule without the added labor of heeling the trees or binning them up. Overall, Willow Drive's system saves me time and money. - Cragg Gilbert, Yakima, WA •Willow Drive saves me money in the long run. I get an excellent size tree that is ready to produce fruit the year I plant it. The way the trees are palletized for me makes planting very efficient because they are well organized and they are easy to move around in the field. - John Verbrugge, Wapato, WA Dan Bernardo, dean of the College of Agri- culture and Natural Resource Sciences. That person will oversee the directors of the three extension program units. WSU is also looking at hiring a tree fruit extension team leader, Baldree said. This person would provide coordination between all the personnel who are doing research relating to tree fruit and ensure that the

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