Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/751050
76 DECEMBER 2016 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com and operating costs only with interest earned from the princi- pal donation. Interest takes time to accrue. And visa applications for international hires can take months. However, once the university starts hiring, the endowment pro- vides a strong recruiting tool. "The endowment definitely made an impression on me when I applied for the position," Rob Blakey, the most recent hire, said in an email. "A researcher or extension officer can do so much more when there is support from the industry; $32 million is serious support of research and extension in general and WSU in particular." Based at the university's Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Prosser, Washington, Blakey spent most of his early days just getting to know the industry's needs. He is now working on project proposals to develop a statewide extension program, identify- ing handling steps that cause fruit quality loss and developing modern educational programs and resources, such as defect guides, podcasts and online videos. He is specifically interested in improving pear ripening; he focused on ripening at his previous position as a research horticul- turist in the avocado industry in South Africa. The only other endowment-related, full-time hire so far has been Stefano Musacchi, the first endowed chair, one of six such positions created by the endowment. The endowment title got his attention, too, he said. "From the academic point of view, it is the highest academic award that the university can bestow on a faculty member," he said in an email. "Endowed faculty professorships and chairs are fun- damental for recruiting and retaining the highest-quality faculty." Musacchi, a research horticulturist specializing in physiology and man- agement at the Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center in Wenatchee, started in 2013. He leads the effort to educate growers on the horticulture of Cosmic Crisp, the university's new apple variety, and manages the national NC-140 Apple Rootstock Evaluation project. He also is leading a research effort to recommend new varieties of apple pollinator trees based on pollen compatibility. The endowment has provided seed money for Musacchi's work with the Cosmic Crisp and a preliminary apple rootstock study that helped him land Stefano Musacchi Supporting your Food Safety and Analytical Programs since 1978 www.cascadeanalytical.com 1-800-545-4206 Ag Water Testing for Produce Safety Global GAP or FSMA Compliance? Whether you need testing or training we can provide qualifi ed and friendly assistance. Our accredited laboratories will deliver accurate results and our qualifi ed Lead Trainers will come on-site to show your staff how to comply with FSMA Produce Rule requirements. Ag Water Testing for Produce Safety Global GAP or FSMA Compliance?