November 2024 - 6

POME FRUIT
Industry initiative
M
BY GARY PULLANO
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
ichigan's Ridgefest typically
focuses on tours and
discussions regarding
what apple growers are doing in
the orchard. The 13th annual field
day, which was Aug. 1 in Fremont,
Michigan, centered on the end
result of the production season:
consumer consumption.
The Michigan Pomesters
event included presentations
by marketing specialists who
addressed a downward trend in
apple consumption and efforts to
increase consumer engagement.
Angela Sommers, board
member for Michigan Pomesters
and senior account manager
for Ten Acre Marketing, said the
intent of the focus shift was to
" foster collaborative discussions
and introduce forward-thinking
marketing strategies to invigorate
interest in the apple category. "
The Apple Consumption Project
is a national effort to boost sales of
apples. Funding for the initiative will
come from industry sources outside
of the growing community, according
to Kari Soldaat, director of sales at
Riveridge Produce, an apple packer
and marketer in Michigan. The effort,
which has been underway for less
than a year, supports all fresh-grown
apples in the U.S.
Soldaat said the initiative was
the brainchild of Julie DeJarnatt,
brand manager of Chelan Fresh, a
Washington packer and marketer.
" We wish it was something we
would have thought of a few years
ago, before encountering the situation
in which we are today, " Soldaat said.
The organizers requested growers
sign a letter of support to show the
campaign is something producers
will take seriously.
" We need everybody's help to
move this thing forward, " she said.
Soldaat explained that the
industry has an oversupply issue.
Kari Soldaat of Riveridge
Produce Marketing.
" Acreage has continued to go
down, but production has gone up.
Yields are up about 43% versus
where they were in the past. "
The industry also faces an
" export problem " that is impacting
the category, she noted.
" We have a steady, declining
category. The consumption rate
of the apple product is not being
maintained, " Soldaat said. " We
really need to understand why
consumers are not choosing
apples anymore. "
A 2020 study by Produce for
Michigan Pomesters board members Angela Sommers and Dan Zemaitis
present the Fruit Person of the Year award to Don Armock, president of
Riveridge Produce Marketing. Photos by Gary Pullano.
6 | NOVEMBER 2024
Better Health found that U.S.
produce consumption has declined
by 10% over the last 18 years.
Julie DeJarnatt of Chelan
Fresh.
Apple consumption push drives Ridgefest updates

November 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2024

Editor's Letter
Pome Fruit: Industry initiative
Irrigation & Water Management: Maintaining grove water
Tree Fruit: Grove insights
Plums: Plum factors
Great Lakes EXPO News: Juice processing and berry fertilization
Great Lakes EXPO Schedule
40 Under Forty Class of 2024
Soil Health: Cutting chemical fumigation
Labor: Tree fruit worker decision sparks reaction
Tree Fruit Variety Showcase
2025 Fruit & Nut Growers Buyers' Guide
Organic Grower Fall 2024
Fresh Views: A team approach to plant disease management
Farm Market & Agritourism: Choosing the right market channel
Ag Labor Review: Candid discussions regarding ag labor dilemmas
Classifieds
Advertiser Index
November 2024 - 1
November 2024 - 2
November 2024 - 3
November 2024 - Editor's Letter
November 2024 - 5
November 2024 - Pome Fruit: Industry initiative
November 2024 - 7
November 2024 - 8
November 2024 - 9
November 2024 - Irrigation & Water Management: Maintaining grove water
November 2024 - 11
November 2024 - 12
November 2024 - 13
November 2024 - Tree Fruit: Grove insights
November 2024 - 15
November 2024 - 16
November 2024 - 17
November 2024 - Plums: Plum factors
November 2024 - 19
November 2024 - 20
November 2024 - 21
November 2024 - Great Lakes EXPO News: Juice processing and berry fertilization
November 2024 - Great Lakes EXPO Schedule
November 2024 - 24
November 2024 - 40 Under Forty Class of 2024
November 2024 - 26
November 2024 - 27
November 2024 - 28
November 2024 - 29
November 2024 - 30
November 2024 - 31
November 2024 - 32
November 2024 - Soil Health: Cutting chemical fumigation
November 2024 - 34
November 2024 - 35
November 2024 - Labor: Tree fruit worker decision sparks reaction
November 2024 - 37
November 2024 - Tree Fruit Variety Showcase
November 2024 - 39
November 2024 - 40
November 2024 - 41
November 2024 - 42
November 2024 - 2025 Fruit & Nut Growers Buyers' Guide
November 2024 - 44
November 2024 - 45
November 2024 - 46
November 2024 - 47
November 2024 - 48
November 2024 - 49
November 2024 - 50
November 2024 - 51
November 2024 - 52
November 2024 - 53
November 2024 - 54
November 2024 - 55
November 2024 - 56
November 2024 - 57
November 2024 - 58
November 2024 - 59
November 2024 - 60
November 2024 - 61
November 2024 - 62
November 2024 - Organic Grower Fall 2024
November 2024 - 64
November 2024 - 65
November 2024 - 66
November 2024 - 67
November 2024 - Fresh Views: A team approach to plant disease management
November 2024 - 69
November 2024 - 70
November 2024 - 71
November 2024 - Farm Market & Agritourism: Choosing the right market channel
November 2024 - 73
November 2024 - Ag Labor Review: Candid discussions regarding ag labor dilemmas
November 2024 - 75
November 2024 - Classifieds
November 2024 - 77
November 2024 - Advertiser Index
November 2024 - 79
November 2024 - 80
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