Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/60127
QUICK BITES Read more Quick Bites at www.goodfruit.com. Irrigation e-mail service A German company acquires New Zealand apples leading distributor, marketer, and exporter of fresh produce. The purchase by BayWa Aktiengesellschaft of Munich A was sealed after months of negotiations. Turners and Growers reported a pretax loss of NZ$10.8 million for German company has become the majority share- holder in Turners and Growers Group, New Zealand's "I see the purchase as a positive sign for the New Zealand apple industry, with Turners and Growers being a cornerstone of the apple sector," he said. "It is pleasing to see a company such as BayWa invest into the fruit and vegetable sector in New Zealand." He said BayWa's strong links in Europe should offer team of regional Washington State University field faculty has launched the Irrigated Agriculture Information Service to provide information that matches the interests of producers. The e-mail information delivery service can be customized to deliver research and information that deals with unique interests of growers and can be received at home, in the office, or on smartphones. E-mail alerts will help provide timely water management information, replacing an older, print-based information-delivery system. Subscribers can choose from 35 topics ranging from apples to cattle and from drip irrigation to surface irrigation and water rights. Topic preferences can be changed at any time. WSU's new irrigated agriculture Web site features an educational events calendar and will have an archive of e-mails. To sign up, visit http://extension.wsu.edu/irrigatedag. 2011. The group is the largest grower of ENZA apple vari- eties, but has experienced reduced orchard values partly because of poor returns on apples resulting from the eco- nomic downturn in Europe, its largest market, and the strength of the New Zealand dollar. ENZA, New Zealand's largest apple exporter and owner of the New Zealand apple varieties Pacific Rose, Jazz, and Envy, merged with Turners and Growers in 2003. Last year, the two companies formed a joint venture with Wakatu Incorporation to create New Zealand's largest Envy apple orchard. Pipfruit New Zealand chair Ian Palmer said in a press release that he welcomed the sale of Turners and Growers's majority shareholding to BayWa. Ted Baseler and Elson Floyd S te. Michelle Wine Estates's Ted Baseler announced a $1 million donation to Washington State University from Ste. Michelle and its parent company, Altria Group, Inc., during a statewide wine grape meeting in February. The donation will support the university's wine science pro- grams, providing a start-up package for an analytical or "aroma" chemist that WSU plans to hire this year to ana- lyze the impact of various grape growing and winemaking practices on wine flavor, according to WSU viticulture and enology program director Dr. Thomas Henick-Kling. WSU President Elson Floyd attended the wine meeting, thank- ing the Washington wine industry for its $7.4 million commitment for construction of the new Wine Science Center at WSU's Tri-Cities campus. favorite farm mom Help select a M onsanto Company is searching for America's Farm- ers Mom of the Year and will award the farm mom a $10,000 grand prize. Anyone can nominate their favorite farm mom by submitting a 300-word essay explaining how she contributes to her family, farm, community, and agriculture. Five regional winners will be selected, with each regional winner receiving a $5,000 cash prize; the national winner receives an additional $5,000. Deadline for entries is April 23. Profiles of the regional winners will be posted to AmericasFarmers.com, where online voting will determine the national winner to be announced on Mother's Day. Complete eligibility requirements and official rules can be obtained online at www.AmericasFarmers.com or by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Amer- ica's Farmers Mom of the Year, 914 Spruce Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63102. Nominations of past winners can be found on the America's Farmers Web site. America's Farmers Mom of the Year is an element of Monsanto's America's Farmers program that advocates promoting, recognizing, and supporting U.S. farmers through communications, awards, and special programs. further opportunities for New Zealand growers and help strengthen the apple industry and lift grower returns. Washington wine company gives to university 46 APRIL 1, 2012 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com