Fruit growers discuss economic pressures and new technology at meeting in Kennewick

KENNEWICK — Economic pressures and new technology were themes at a gathering of Washington fruit growers this week.

Hundreds of business owners, farmers, managers and other professionals who attended the Northwest Hort Expo and the Washington Tree Fruit Association’s 119th annual meeting at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick to discuss new technologies and techniques.

Topics for presentations included plants and pests, new technologies, agricultural economics and a new apple from Washington State University, WA-64. Spanish language sessions were well attended and the conference included information on federal H-2A rule proposals and state Department of Labor and Industries regulations.

One theme, said Jon DeVaney, WSTFA’s executive director, was the economy. Some growers, particularly smaller operations, were concerned about inflation and higher production costs.

“There’s a lot of talk about profitability,” DeVaney said.

Weather conditions were optimal for this year’s apple crop and many Yakima Valley growers said they had a strong harvest.

DeVaney said concerns about inflation in production costs had led many growers to seek more efficient and cost-saving methods of production. At least one session focused on the challenges apple growers faced in marketing and selling their products.

DeVaney added that new technologies, improving management and leadership, and better managing finances and investment from outside sources were also in-demand topics.

“There’s always interest in how you can grow the best fruit,” DeVaney said.

That was one of the reasons Brian Vazquez and Craig Chronister, who work in field services for Cowiche Growers Inc., were at the meeting.

“We’re trying to keep up with the industry,” Chronister said.

Vazquez said Cowiche Growers, a co-op fruit packer for small, local farmers in the Yakima area, works closely with those growers. Their goal is to learn more about fruit packing logistics and bring new information to those growers.

“We’re here to see what we can get out of this for the growers,” Vazquez said. “There’s a lot of technology out there.”

New artificial intelligence technologies can help project production and plan logistics, Vazquez said. Some of those technologies could be helpful.

“(With) inflation on top of the market that’s happening right now, it’s tough,” Vazquez said.

New technology

Many vendors bringing infrastructure and information to the event set up tables throughout the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick to share information about some of that technology.

More growers are using technology and data to guide their decisions, said Hunter Price, an account executive with Semios, a crop management platform.

“It’s not a matter of if, but when,” Price said.

Semios incorporates remote monitoring and remote sensing to allow growers access to more information and data about their crops.

Bill Terry runs WaterPoint, an irrigation technology company, that treats irrigation water electronically to reduce chemical costs. Terry said this year’s meeting was one of the best he’s been to, allowing him to connect with growers and other businesses.

Spanish language

DeVaney said the 2023 meeting marked a return to a large, in-person meeting after the COVID-19 pandemic. That allows people to communicate and collaborate, said Jacqui Gordon Nuñez, director of education and training at WSTFA.

“What are the partnerships we can form? The things we can do together?” Gordon Nuñez said.

Gordon Nuñez also organizes the Spanish language sessions the WSTFA hosts. Roughly half the meeting’s attendees signed up for those sessions, she said.

“We have an audience of 800 people, many of them orchard managers and supervisors,” Gordon Nuñez said.

Topics for Spanish language talks and discussions include regulations, leadership and management training and mental health. Gordon Nuñez said the attendance from Spanish-speaking professionals has grown and that WSTFA has increased the number of topics with Spanish language access to include not just technical information, but industry trends.

More people are signing up for Spanish language sessions and more Spanish-speaking professionals are staying for the entire meeting, she added.

“That reflects the demographics of our industry,” Gordon Nuñez said.