Fruit Industry Merger

Fruit Industry Merger. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

The newly formed Washington State Tree Fruit Association officially commenced operations September 1st. The Wenatchee Valley Traffic Association, Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association and the Washington Growers Clearing House Association have all given approval to merger. This wasn’t a hurried decision, either. Bruce Grimm talks about how the idea for the merger all came about.

GRIMM: I was approached by West Mathison and Mark Holtzinger about six years ago when there was a vacancy here at the Hort for an executive director and they approached me about doing both and I had for a long time held the notion that we have too many various organizations doing too many things that are too similar and that there was certainly some duplication of services

The Washington State Horticultural Association Board of Directors has approved the merger and a voter’s ballot has been sent to the members to endorse this decision. If approved, WSHA will merge into the WSTFA following the Annual Meeting in December.

GRIMM: I kind of came on with the idea in mind that it was time as I say to stir this alphabet soup and come up with something a little bit different so it’s take a long time and really the last 2 1/2 years is when we’ve been working the hardest on it. I think Jon Devaney is absolutely the perfect, right guy to lead the new association and we’re going to be here as long as John needs us to assist in the transition but don’t want to be underfoot and don’t need to be.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.