CHICAGO - The 2012 Apple Crop Outlook & Marketing Conference, held here, kicked off on Thursday, Aug. 16 with its first general session meeting and although the forecast for the 2012 U.S. apple crop isn't as promising as years prior, growers and industry veterans are remaining optimistic about what's to come.

"This year certainly does present quite a number of challenges," Mark Seetin, USApple director of regulatory and industry affairs, said during his presentation.

A season that began with a mild winter, followed by an early spring and unexpected frost, as well as damaging hail storms in key apple-producing states, resulted in the smallest apple crop since 1986.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasted the 2012 U.S. apple crop at 8.1 billion pounds on Aug. 10. Measured in 42-pound bushels, USDA forecasted the crop to be 192 million bushels, ranking it as the 31st largest crop produced by U.S. growers.

Molly Golden of the New York Apple Association, Diane Smith, executive director of the Michigan Apple Committee, Helen Dietrich of Ridgeview Orchards and Jill Blattner of Twin Bee Orchards at the Apple Crop Outlook & Marketing Conference reception, held Aug. 16 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Chicago. (Photo by Maggie Giuffrida)"There's nothing to really compare [this year] to," said Mr. Seetin. "We had to go all the way back to 1945."

But despite the discouraging numbers, all hope is not lost for the 2012 apple crop. While the forecasts for the East and Midwest regions dropped this year, the forecast for the West went up 6 percent. And although some of its crop did take a hit, Washington state is still forecast to produce 135.7 million bushels, 5 percent above its 2011 production.

"There are places that are blessed and there are places that are not," Mr. Seetin said. "Everyone wants to try to work through this and lead the way. You have to take care of your customers and think long term, and that's one thing this industry is very good at."

Following the general session and regional discussion panels, conference attendees were invited to an evening reception, where the Apple Person of the Year Award was presented to Ken Guise of Knouse Foods. The Apple Crop Outlook & Marketing Conference continues today, where the USApple state of the industry report will be given and innovation and the future of produce retailing will be discussed.