Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/705612
www.goodfruit.com Good Fruit Grower AUGUST 2016 39 The organic checkoff proposal Organic producers may separate even more in the coming years. The national advocacy group Organic Trade Association has applied with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a promotional checkoff program to create a marketing and consumer education campaign for all organic commodities, including grains, vegetables and other crops, as well as fruit. Promotional checkoffs in the past have spawned the well-known advertising tag lines, "Beef. It's what's for dinner," and "Got milk?" The organic checkoff proposal calls for an assessment of one-tenth of 1 percent of net organic sales to raise more than $30 million a year for promotion and research related to organic commodities. The Organic Trade Association was one of the primary authors of the "opt-out" clause so many pear shippers used this spring. The association argues in promotional material and their USDA application that organic producers need their own identity and consumer education campaign. An example: telling people the difference between organic and natural labels. Organic Trade Association officials did not respond to interview requests. The proposed checkoff is months, if not years, down the road. The U.S. Department of Agriculture first must approve it, then a majority of organic stakeholders must vote in favor. Fruit industry leaders are uncertain of their position. Several years ago, an effort to combine fruit and vege- table growers in a national campaign to promote them as part of a healthy diet didn't even make it to an official application with the USDA. "When you start bringing in so many different cate- gories and commodities and everybody's self-interests and strategies, it becomes very difficult to unify a group of that size all putting their oars in the water the same way," said Howard Nager, vice president of marketing for Domex Superfresh Growers, a Yakima, Washington, fruit sales company that represents about 25 percent of the Northwest's organic pear volume. • TJ Mullinax/Good FruiT Grower Join wafla today! wafla.org Would you like a lawsuit with that? PHIL BROWN WELDING CORP. PHIL BROWN WELDING CORP. PHIL BROWN WELDING CORP. Phone (616) 784-3046 • Fax: (616) 784-5852 • 4689–8 Mile Rd NW, Conklin, Michigan 49403 www.philbrownwelding.com Box Rotator Box Shuttle Double Fork Ground Hog Frost Fan Economy LIft 3-Point Forks 3-Point Hi Lift Conveyors Freight-Mate Durand Wayland Sprayers WE OFFER A FULL LINE OF FRUIT & VEGETABLE EQUIPMENT: Contact Vine Tech Equipment, your Northwest Phil Brown Dealer 509-788-0900 www.vinetechequipment.com VACUUM APPLE HARVESTER • Eliminates Ladders • Reduces Picker Fatigue • Reduces Bruising • Self-Propelled Platform Contact Us About Our New State-Of-The-Art Apple Harvester VACUUM APPLE HARVESTER The most efficient and gentle apple harvesting system in the world The most efficient and gentle apple harvesting system in the world