New York apple growers vote to continue marketing order
New York apple growers vote to continue marketing order
New York state apple growers have voted decisively to reauthorize the New York State Apple Marketing Order, with 71 percent of the ballots cast in favor of re-certifying the order for another eight years.
The referendum was carried out over the past month and certified April 19 by Nathan L. Rudgers, New York state commissioner of agriculture.
?We?re very appreciative of the overwhelming support to keep the marketing order going for another eight years," said Jim Allen, president of the New York Apple Association, which is the receiving organization of funds collected by the apple marketing order.
The New York state Department of Agriculture & Markets, which facilitated the vote, said that 168 growers voted in favor of the order and 69 voted against it. A total of 590 ballots were sent out to growers on March 15, and the ballot deadline was April 15. Mr. Rudgers certified the results.
?Over the past five years, we have strived to be more responsive to the industry and our board and those efforts seem to be reflected by this vote," Mr. Allen said. "We have put our collective resources into heavily promoting New York apples and encouraging consumers to eat more of them. The results are that consumer demand for apples is on the rise."
Mr. Allen continued to say, "I praise our board and dedicated staff, who have helped make us one of the most effective commodity-promotion organizations in the nation."
The marketing order is authorized by state law to collect funds from apple growers for the purpose of promoting apples. Each grower is assessed 16 cents per bushel on fresh apples sold wholesale, eight cents per bushel on fresh apples sold from the farm and eight cents per cwt. on apples for processing or juice.
In recent years, the New York Apple Association has put more focus on consumer advertising and promotion. A statewide television and radio advertising campaign has been credited with putting apples foremost in the mind of consumers. A heavy public-relations component has also helped increase demand for New York-grown apples.
Supermarket chains, pick-your-own orchards and roadside stands around the state are seeing more sales. Apples rank as the third-most popular item in produce departments, according to a poll last year of the nation?s grocery store chains.
At the same time, the state?s apple industry is coming off two large crops in a row. The 2003 crop came in at an estimated 30 million bushels, which was one of the larger crops in three decades. Last year?s crop came in at approximately 28 million bushels.
Nutritional research has also helped increase demand. Last Month, Cornell University came out with a study indicating that apples may help prevent breast cancer. A similar Cornell study in 2000 found that apples might help fight colon and liver cancers.
Dozens of other studies from around the world have shown that apples can help reduce cholesterol, improve breathing, reduce the risk of heart disease and even help dieters lose weight. The studies have received worldwide publicity.
The apple industry in New York has also received more and more support from elected officials in Albany and Washington, DC. This month, the state legislature and New York Gov. George E. Pataki voted to allocate $500,000 from the state budget to help promote apples.
New York ranks second in the nation in apple production. In 1997, when the last market order vote was taken, there were 679 orchards and 51,097 acres of orchards.
The state?s leading apple varieties include McIntosh, Empire, Red Delicious, Cortland and Rome, and the top-10 apple-growing counties in the state are Wayne, Ulster, Orleans, Niagara, Clinton, Columbia, Monroe, Orange, Dutchess and Onondaga.
The referendum was carried out over the past month and certified April 19 by Nathan L. Rudgers, New York state commissioner of agriculture.
?We?re very appreciative of the overwhelming support to keep the marketing order going for another eight years," said Jim Allen, president of the New York Apple Association, which is the receiving organization of funds collected by the apple marketing order.
The New York state Department of Agriculture & Markets, which facilitated the vote, said that 168 growers voted in favor of the order and 69 voted against it. A total of 590 ballots were sent out to growers on March 15, and the ballot deadline was April 15. Mr. Rudgers certified the results.
?Over the past five years, we have strived to be more responsive to the industry and our board and those efforts seem to be reflected by this vote," Mr. Allen said. "We have put our collective resources into heavily promoting New York apples and encouraging consumers to eat more of them. The results are that consumer demand for apples is on the rise."
Mr. Allen continued to say, "I praise our board and dedicated staff, who have helped make us one of the most effective commodity-promotion organizations in the nation."
The marketing order is authorized by state law to collect funds from apple growers for the purpose of promoting apples. Each grower is assessed 16 cents per bushel on fresh apples sold wholesale, eight cents per bushel on fresh apples sold from the farm and eight cents per cwt. on apples for processing or juice.
In recent years, the New York Apple Association has put more focus on consumer advertising and promotion. A statewide television and radio advertising campaign has been credited with putting apples foremost in the mind of consumers. A heavy public-relations component has also helped increase demand for New York-grown apples.
Supermarket chains, pick-your-own orchards and roadside stands around the state are seeing more sales. Apples rank as the third-most popular item in produce departments, according to a poll last year of the nation?s grocery store chains.
At the same time, the state?s apple industry is coming off two large crops in a row. The 2003 crop came in at an estimated 30 million bushels, which was one of the larger crops in three decades. Last year?s crop came in at approximately 28 million bushels.
Nutritional research has also helped increase demand. Last Month, Cornell University came out with a study indicating that apples may help prevent breast cancer. A similar Cornell study in 2000 found that apples might help fight colon and liver cancers.
Dozens of other studies from around the world have shown that apples can help reduce cholesterol, improve breathing, reduce the risk of heart disease and even help dieters lose weight. The studies have received worldwide publicity.
The apple industry in New York has also received more and more support from elected officials in Albany and Washington, DC. This month, the state legislature and New York Gov. George E. Pataki voted to allocate $500,000 from the state budget to help promote apples.
New York ranks second in the nation in apple production. In 1997, when the last market order vote was taken, there were 679 orchards and 51,097 acres of orchards.
The state?s leading apple varieties include McIntosh, Empire, Red Delicious, Cortland and Rome, and the top-10 apple-growing counties in the state are Wayne, Ulster, Orleans, Niagara, Clinton, Columbia, Monroe, Orange, Dutchess and Onondaga.
