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4 CapitalPress.com January 13, 2017 Apple prices could be near bottom By DAN WHEAT Capital Press WENATCHEE, Wash. — Washington’s second-largest apple crop shrank slightly in the past month as sales con- tinue at a good pace and prices hover at or near a season bot- tom. As of Jan. 1, the crop is 137.1 million, 40-pound boxes compared to 137.9 million on Dec. 1, an ordinary and neg- ligible decline due to slightly fewer packouts than expected. Season-to-date shipments as of Jan. 1 totaled 48.7 million boxes, according to the latest industry report, compared to 43.7 million the same time a year ago with a smaller crop LEGAL PUBLIC NOTICE The Soil and Water Conservation Commission (SWCC) will hold its regular quarterly meeting on Wednesday, February 8, 2017, from noon to 4:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the NRCS State Office, 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd, Portland, OR 97232. The meeting agenda covers SWCC reports, advisor reports, Soil and Water Conservation District programs and funding, Agriculture Water Quality Management Program updates, and other agenda items. The Oregon Department of Agriculture complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you need special accommodations to participate in this meeting, please contact Sandi Hiatt at (503) 986-4704, at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. 2-4/#4 Dan Wheat/Capital Press Lucelia Garcia grabs a bag of Fuji apples to place in a shipment box at Roche Fruit in Yakima, Wash., on Nov. 16. Sales of the state’s second largest apple crop remain at a good pace while prices have softened. and 51.9 million with the in- dustry’s record crop two years ago. The big percentage swing in movement is with Hon- eycrisp at almost 4.5 million shipped so far versus 3.8 mil- lion a year ago, said Desmond LEGAL CHERRY AVENUE STORAGE 2680 Cherry Ave. NE Salem, OR 97301 (503) 399-7454 Sat., Jan 28th • 10 A.M. • Unit 4 - Bryan VanDyke • Unit 23 - Adam Wyeske • Unit 52 - Angela & Shayne Barton • Unit 64 - Kristen McDonnell • Unit 70 - Linda Ballard • Unit 85 - Angela Kinzel • Unit 159 - Tracy Bean • Unit 166 - Stephen Shuck • Unit 179 - John Codner Cherry Avenue Storage reserves the right to refuse any and all bids O’Rourke, a consultant and retired Washington State Uni- versity agriculture economics professor. The all other category of mostly new, proprietary vari- eties was up about one-third from 2.6 million to 3.5 million, still small but rapid in growth because of good dollar returns, O’Rourke said. USDA’s tracking of av- erage asking prices of extra fancy grade medium size (80 to 88 per 40-pound box) in Wenatchee and Yakima re- mained unchanged on Jan. 9 from Dec. 13. That could indi- cate a leveling or bottoming of prices. However, there are 32 percent more Gala in storage nationwide as of Jan. 1 com- pared to a year earlier, 29 per- cent more Red Delicious, 21 percent more Honeycrisp and 18 percent more Cripps Pink, according to a U.S. Apple As- sociation report. Total national holdings are at 103.2 million boxes, up 14 percent from a year ago and 11 percent from the five-year average. All of that tends to create downward price pressure. “Prices could go either way in the next few weeks. De- mand is fairly strong and sup- ply not too big, so I think the market is pretty balanced right now,” O’Rourke said. Red Delicious has dropped to $15 per box and Gala is at $20.52 at which both are los- ing growers money, he said. “Prices will be depressed a bit but still are generating very substantial returns, particularly compared to two years ago,” O’Rourke said. The eight main varieties are averaging a little over $19 per box and proprietary varieties at about $43, he said. “That’s a huge gap and the incentive to plant more of newer varieties must be very strong,” he said. The USDA Jan. 9 track- ing of prices: Red Delicious, $16 to $18.90; Gala, $19 to $22.90; Golden Delicious, $21 to $24.90; Fuji, $25 to $28.90; Granny Smith, $19 to $23.90; and Honeycrisp, $55 to $62.90. Efficient producers of Gala are probably breaking even, but about one-third of growers make money under these con- ditions, a third break even and a third lose money, O’Rourke said. legal-2-2-1/#4 NEWSPAPERS IN EDUCATION PROGRAM First GMO apple slices to go on sale in Midwest By DAN WHEAT Capital Press SUMMERLAND, B.C. — The first genetically mod- ified apples to be sold in the U.S. will debut in select Mid- western stores next month. A small amount of Arc- tic brand sliced and packaged Golden Delicious, produced by Okanagan Specialty Fruits of Summerland, B.C., will be in 10 stores this February and March, said Neal Carter, the company’s founder and pres- ident. He would not identify the retailers, saying that’s up to them. “We’re very optimistic with respect to this product because people love it at trade shows,” Carter said. “It’s a great prod- uct and the eating quality is excellent.” The company modified the apples to reduce the enzyme polyphenol oxidase to pre- vent browning when apples are sliced or bitten. The apples match the industry norm of not browning for three weeks after slicing but without using flavor-altering, chemical addi- tives that the rest of the fresh- sliced apple industry uses. Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Fuji varieties have been approved by the USDA and Canada. An Arctic Gala could be approved in 2018. Only Goldens and Granny Smiths have been planted long enough to produce fruit in commercial quantities by next fall. Midwestern retailers were chosen for the first sales this winter because they seemed like a good fit demographi- cally and in presence and size, Carter said. Asked if Midwest consum- ers may be more accepting of The provides weekly copies of Capital Press and access to CapitalPress.com to classrooms in California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Teachers request the newspaper to create real-life learning experiences. Students discover the vital role agriculture plays in the American way of life. Call today to make your tax-deductible donation. 800-882-6789 • CapitalPress.com NWAg17-4/#13 genetically modified apples than those on the East or West coasts, Carter said consumer research didn’t indicate that and that it wasn’t a consider- ation. “We don’t want to skew our test marketing results by choosing stores that may be more friendly to genetic engi- neering,” he said. About 500, 40-pound box- es of sliced apples will be sold in grab-and-go pouch bags, he said. The company expects to offer 6,000 boxes of apple slic- es from the 2017 fall crop. A QR computer scan code on the packaging enables con- sumers to get information, including that the apple slices are genetically modified, but nothing directly on the packing identifies it. Okanagan Special- ty Fruits will adhere to the new genetically engineered foods labeling act but it’s not clear what that requires, Carter said. “We are selling it under the Arctic brand and we’ve had a lot of press and attention, so I assume most people will know what it is,” he said. The company has reworked its logo, making a snowflake inside an apple outline more visible. The first commercial test marketing will provide the company with consumer pref- erences on packaging and price and other information includ- ing purchase motivations. Sur- vey data will be used to help the company decide its fall 2017 commercial launch strategy. The company has orchards in British Columbia and 85,000 trees at an undisclosed location in Washington state. More than 300,000 trees will be planted this spring and 500,000 are being budded for planting in 2018. LEGAL Request for Proposal (RFP) AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT FEASIBILITY STUDY Si View Metropolitan Park District seeks proposals for consulting services to conduct a feasibility study to evaluate agricultural and natural resource assets at Tollgate Farm, located in North Bend Washington, and to assess how those assets could support alternative scenarios for the redevelopment of the property in a manner that benefits community recreation, local farmers, strengthens the local food system, and increases the local community’s awareness of and engagement with local agriculture. Additionally include the potential opportunities for an agricultural or livestock incubator located on the property, and/or other roles for the property to play in local economic development with particular focus on and around agriculture. For a complete proposal description go to www.siviewpark.org/contracting-process.html. Proposals are due no later than 12:00 Noon on Friday, January 27th, 2017. Questions regarding the proposal should be directed to Executive Director, Travis Stombaugh, 425-831- 1900 tstombaugh@siviewpark.org. legal-2-2-4/#T3D Large Transmission Power Lines on Your Property? Lease Us Your Land! Long Term Land Leases Needed! 20-40 Years - Up to $1,250 per Acre per Year • We require large tracts of land (over 150 acres), currently clear and clean with 3-phase transmission type power lines for our solar farms. • Land cannot be in flood zone or have wetlands issues. Owner must retain mineral rights both above and below surface, or have executive rights. • No underground utilities, including oil and gas lines, within the proposed solar site. 2-1/#4x
