“The New York Apple Association is an absolute and solid fixture at the New York Produce Show,” said NYAA President, Jim Allen. “We are a supporting sponsor, and we have exhibited at the show since its inception.”

The NYAA will be exhibiting at Booth No. 160 at the show being held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center North Hall in Manhattan on Dec. 2-4.

In early August, Julia Stewart, spokesperson for the NYAA, told The Produce News that New York growers’ had forecasted that this year’s apple crop would be 30 million bushels, just slightly above its average of 29.5 million but not as high as the 2013 crop which was estimated at 32 million.

“We have indeed had another fabulous year of growing conditions,” she emphasized. “The spring weather conditions were perfect for pollinating, and we’ve had just the right amount of rain. Lots of sunny days and cooler nights that apples love have also blessed our crop. It’s looking like a textbook crop at this point, and that will give us great crops for two-years running, for which we are extremely grateful.”

Stewart also explained that because of new plantings in New York, consumers will have an abundant supply of their favorite New York apples, from Honeycrisp to Galas and even the state’s homegrown McIntosh, among many others.

Other big news going on at the NYAA office is related to the TCS New York City Marathon, of which the Association has been a proud supporter of for over 15 years.

From Oct. 24 through race day, Nov. 2, perched 165 feet above Fresh Direct’s warehouse in Long Island City, NY, was a 65-foot by 90-foot LED display sign proudly advertising New York McIntosh apples as the official apple of the marathon.

The 5,850-square-foot display was visible for two miles and had a viewing angle of 140 degrees. The display board, owned by Fresh Direct, a leading New York City on-line grocer, is center stage at the Queens Midtown Tunnel facing the toll plaza and all traffic going into Manhattan from LaGuardia and Kennedy Airports, as well as eastern points in Queens and Long Island. This new state-of-the-art LED display sign is the largest flat board in the country, “and it advertised New York State McIntosh apples!” Allen emphasized.

“The Mac is truly the ‘Big Apple’ in New York City for this event,” he continued. “The addition of the ‘jumbotron’ advertising this year is new and it complements the two-month long ABC television advertising campaign in metro New York City as a build up for the race, with on line digital and 15- and 30-second Marathon spots aired. Practically all of the out-of-town racers that fly into the two NYC airports will see the message, and have a chance to earn a ‘Mac’ when they finish the race.”

TCS is a leading technical service provider owned by TATA services, one of the world’s largest corporations. As a supporting sponsor, NYAA provides McIntosh apples for the Marathon and Marathon related events. NYAA provides 88,440 McIntosh apples that are distributed to TCS NYC Marathon finishers, and for the Oct. 30, Poland Spring Marathon Kick-off for the NYRR Run With Champions. It also comes out with apples and support for the NYRR Dash to the Finish Line 5K and the Marathon Eve Dinner on Nov. 1.

New York state McIntosh apples have been declared the official apple of the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon, and apple fans are being asked to donate to select local charities as part of the New York apple industry’s sponsorship.

This year’s 15 NYAA-sponsored runners include Rochester firefighters, Ted Kuppinger and Thomas Szatko, and New York State Troopers, Steve Mowers and Jason Mulcahy.

Four runners work in the fresh produce industry. They include Walter Campo of Nicholas Markets Foodtown in Hawthorne, NJ, Tenley Allen and Rob Ranieri of Fresh Direct in Long Island City, and Robert Guenther of United Fresh Produce Association of Washington, DC.

“Our civic-minded runners have committed to raising charitable funds as part of their marathon participation, and they have selected a broad range of causes that are worthy of support,” said Allen. “Apples are great for refueling after a run or other exercise, and McIntosh is probably our best-known homegrown variety. McIntosh and the Marathon go together like hand and glove, or let’s say foot and running shoe.”

NYAA is encouraging participants to “Munch a McIntosh” by supplying apples, and by advertising in the race’s runner handbook, check-in goodie bag, event program and race results edition.

The NYAA also recently announced that New York City consumers will get better connected to the state’s apple growers and cider makers thanks to a $75,000 grant just awarded from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which was announced by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Oct. 2. The bipartisan 2014 farm bill provided an historic $118 million for specialty crop block grant funding to states to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops and to strengthen U.S. agriculture. USDA allocated a total of $1.4 million to New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets for 15 specialty crop projects, including the NYAA project.

The NYAA received the grant from a federal program established by the 2014 farm bill to support producers of specialty crops, which include fruits, vegetables, nuts and ornamental plants. The funds will be used to educate New York City consumers about the state’s apples and cider and to encourage and help them to visit local apple orchards.

“We know consumers want to connect with the people who supply their food, this program will help them do that,” said Allen.

“NYAA will work with EscapeMaker.com, an online guide to local agritourism getaways, to conduct ‘The NYC Applelooza.’ The campaign will provide New York City consumers with information about the health benefits of New York State apples, while also sampling the many apple varieties available from across the state.”

Allen added that increasing New York City residents’ awareness of the state’s apples and cider will help the industry to be more competitive in a crowded food marketplace, adding, “Our industry is grateful to USDA and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets for making possible this outreach to an influential cross-section of the downstate public.”

EscapeMaker.com is a resource for weekend getaways and day trips in and around the NYC metropolitan area, with a focus on agritourism, events and local destinations reachable by mass transit.

A nonprofit agricultural trade association, the NYAA represents the state’s commercial apple growers. The grower-funded association supports profitable growing and marketing of New York apples through increasing demand for apples and apple products, representing the industry at state and federal levels, and serving as the primary information source on New York apple-related matters. For more information, visit www.nyapplecountry.com.