New York Apple Association offering history lesson on apples

From A-Z, New York State is proud of the many diverse apple varieties and the history behind the New York Apple Association. 

In 1950, the Western New York Apple Growers Association was formed by growers to promote apples from that region. Nine years later, the New York State apple growers voted to create the first mandatory state Apple Marketing Order. Since then, commercial New York State apple growers have paid an assessment to promote New York State apples and apple products along with providing grower communication and conduct consumer research. 

In 1994, Eastern New York growers and WNYAGA united to create the New York Apple Association and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has contracted with the NYAA to expend AMO funds on the industry’s behalf.  

The last referendum took place in 2020 and growers voted in favor of the AMO to continue another eight years. 

The AMO was first established in 1959 to provide marketing and promotional activities for the state’s apple industry. In recent years, the AMO has been collecting nearly $2 million in grower assessments annually, which are strictly dedicated to the marketing of New York apples.

Regional and national promotions, outreach, and marketing research aimed at increasing the profitability of New York apples is conducted each year based on the recommendations of the state’s AMO Advisory Board, which establish funding priorities based on the needs of the regions they represent. 

In celebration of the long-standing tradition of promoting New York Apples, NYAA created a new updated A-Z poster. The 20 x 24-inch poster details many of the apple varieties, uses and history. 

“We are making the posters available to retailers, foodservice outlets and the school foodservice departments to distribute to the cafeterias and classrooms,” said Cynthia Haskins, president and CEO of the NYAA.

New York State is proud of the apple varieties that originated in New York State. Apples varieties like Autumn Crisp, Cortland, Empire, Joangold, Joanmac, Macoun and newer varieties like RubyFrost, SnapDragon and now New York grown Sweetango and Evercrisp.

“We also created a companion tri-fold piece,” Haskins said. “Both the poster and companion piece depict fun facts about New York apple varieties and the history behind many of the varieties.”

The NYAA reported that the new posters are being shipped to school foodservice directors across the state and other school districts located throughout the country while supplies last.  

NYAA printed over 10,000 posters in recent years and exhausted supplies. The A-Z poster is one of the many that are hot off the press with more being created to launch this fall. 

“Posters are popular, and we needed to restock our supply,” Haskins said. “The A-Z poster has been one our most popular and believed it was time to update it with our many new apple varieties and give it a different look and feel.”

Another companion piece is the 12-page Variety Guide, which offers many additional apple varieties along with recipes, information about New York State apple-picking, nutrition, and New York fresh and hard ciders. 

“Tony Mikiciuk is the designer for this project and is working on many other posters like the one stemming from a school-wide promotion we held this crop year,” Haskins said. “Three students across the state were recipients of a grand, first runner up and second place prize comprised of gift cards. The winning student’s artwork is being turned into a poster to kick-off the New York fall apple harvest this coming season while also kicking off our new school foodservice promotion by partnering with the NYS Farm to School Coordinators.”

The New York State Farm-to-School Program was created to connect schools with local farms and food producers to strengthen local agriculture, improve student health, and promote regional food systems awareness.

The Department provides financial assistance to New York State schools through New York State’s Farm-to-School program. It also provides technical and promotional assistance to schools, farms, distributors and other supporting organizations to bring more local, nutritious, seasonally varied meals to New York students. 

“The NYAA recently conducted a survey among school foodservice directors to determine which foodservice distributors they are sourcing New York apples,” Haskins said. “NYAA staff were working closely with foodservice distributors to keep them aware of the many New York apple shippers they can source New York apples for the schools.”