Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/696150
6 JULY 2016 Good Fruit Grower www.goodfruit.com Northwest Horticultural Council president to retire C hristian Schlect, presi- dent of the Northwest Horticultural Council, has set a retirement date of March 31, 2017, after more than 35 years with the industry group. Schlect worked as a deputy prosecuting attorney in Yakima County before joining the Hort Council in 1980, when he replaced Ernie Falk as president. Mark Powers, executive vice president of the Hort Council, is slated to fill Schlect's position upon his retirement. Washington Apple Commission names officers for 2016-2017 T he Washington Apple Commission has elected a slate of officers for the 2016-2017 season. Dave Robison, a member of the Chelan Fruit Cooperative, will serve as chairman, with Cass Gebbers, president and CEO of Gebbers Farms, vice chairman, according to a news release from the commission released following a commission board meeting May 19. Todd Fryhover was re-elected as president and secretary of the organization, which is the international marketing arm of the state's apple industry. Robin Mooney will be vice president and treasurer. The industry expects to spend $7.7 million on exporting apples during the upcoming season, based on an early crop estimate of 135 million boxes. Pear groups name officers, set assessments for season T he Fresh Pear Committee has approved a 44.9 cents per box assessment for the administration of the federal marketing order for fresh pears from Washington and Oregon for the 2016-2017 season — the same rate as last season. Of that assessment, 38.5 cents will go to promotion, 3.1 cents to research and 3.3 cents to admin- istrative expenses. The committee also will keep the same slate of officers for the 2016-2017 season: Jordan Matson, chairman; Ron Meyer, first vice chairman; Don Gibson, second vice chairman; and Matt McDevitt, secretary-treasurer. Gibson will remain the Fresh Pear Committee's appointed representative to the Northwest Horticultural Council's science advisory committee, a position he has held for 20 years. For the fifth straight year, the assessment charged to growers for the federal marketing order for processed pears will remain at $7 per ton, as unanimously approved by the Processed Pear Committee board of directors. Of that, $5.50 will go to generic promotion, $1 to the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission and 50 cents to administrative and operational costs. The group also kept its current board officers for the 2016-2017 season. Dan Kenoyer will remain as chairman, Andrew Sundquist as first vice chairman, Ron Ball as second vice chairman, and Rob Peterson, secretary treasurer. Rayapati fills role at Clean Plant Center N aidu Rayapati, an asso- ciate professor of plant pathology at Washington State University's Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, has been appointed the interim director of Clean Plant Center Northwest. Rayapati has been at WSU since 2004. His research focuses on virus diseases of horticultural, vegetable and food crops, with a particular focus on grapevines. Rayapati fills a position left open since the retirement of Ken Eastwell in January. The university is continuing its search for a permanent director, with interviews planned this summer. Quick Bites People and industry in the news. Read more Fresh Updates at goodfruit.com/fresh-updates Christian Schlect Naidu Rayapati REPEL. PROTECT. GROW. Bird Gard eliminates bird damage from large and small acreage for a one-time cost of around $200 per acre. Grow your crop yields with Bird Gard 888-332-2328 www.BirdGard.com "Bird Gard has saved me hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to my cherries, blueberries, apples and grapes! Bird Gard is the best investment I ever made!" Steve Lecklider Lehman's Orchard Niles, MI 1-YEAR UNCONDITIONAL MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE Bird Gard Good Fruit July 2016.indd 1 6/7/16 4:13 PM