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CapitalPress.com
Friday, February 22, 2019
People & Places
Organic, sustainable bridge builder
By DAN WHEAT
Capital Press
EMPOWERING PRODUCERS OF FOOD & FIBER
Established 1928
WENATCHEE, Wash.
— Discovering that apply-
ing mulch to orchards for
weed control was actually
more beneficial in protect-
ing trees from soil heat and
water stress was just one
innovation of David Granat-
stein’s career.
But he says his great-
est contribution to agricul-
ture was bringing people
together over controver-
sial issues. The two big
ones were organics and
sustainability.
Granatstein, 67, retired
last fall as Washington State
University Extension sus-
tainable agriculture special-
ist, which included being
a lead on organic agricul-
ture. Now he is a professor
emeritus.
Years ago, when Granat-
stein held the first organics
session at the Washington
State Horticultural Associ-
ation annual meeting, the
topic was controversial.
Organic was seen as a fringe
movement.
“It was viewed as a direct
attack on conventional,
implying it was poisoning
the earth. Those feelings
were pretty raw,” Granat-
stein says.
There was division, ani-
mosity. Each side had a ste-
reotype of the other. Granat-
stein believes he helped
people overcome that.
Building bridges
“My goal has always
been to build bridges and
help people see there are
things they can learn from
each other,” he says. “The
world isn’t black and white,
but gray.”
Today, many of the state’s
tree fruit companies grow
conventional and organic
fruit. Organics make up
about 15 percent of apples
and pears and 7 percent of
cherries.
“It’s been a 20-year evo-
lution of the industry to
accept organics and under-
stand and recognize the ben-
efits. There was a whole dis-
cussion on whether organics
are sustainable,” he said.
“We’re still working on
acceptance and definition of
sustainability.”
It’s the idea that agricul-
ture should be profitable,
environmentally sound and
socially acceptable.
“When USDA started its
sustainable ag program, it
was ‘What the hell,’ people
hated it. ‘You say sustain-
able. That’s implying I’m
not.’ People took it really
personally,” he said.
Growers thought protect-
ing the environment could
only come at the loss of
profitability. It was either or.
Granatstein helped educate
all sides that environmen-
tal benefits could pay and
that profitability was nec-
essary for growers to invest
in their land and people. In
short, that practices to guard
the environment could also
guard the pocketbook.
For example, erosion
eventually depletes the
Board of Directors
Western
Innovator
DAVID
GRANATSTEIN
Age: 67
Retired: Sept. 4, 2018
Born and raised: Syra-
cuse, N.Y.
Family: Wife, retired WSU
research associate; two
grown children.
Courtesy of Elizabeth Beers/WSU
David Granatstein, Washington State University Extension sustainable agriculture
specialist, in an apple orchard in 2010. He spent a career bridging gaps between
conventional agriculture and organic and sustainable agriculture.
soil wheat farmers need.
Reduced tillage reduces ero-
sion, which in the long run
benefits the farmer. Other
examples: biological con-
trols and natural predators
reducing pests in fruit trees
and therefore reducing use
of pesticides.
“David is a key force that
put WSU on the map as a
leader in sustainable agricul-
ture outreach, research and
education. His influence and
impacts will be long last-
ing,” Todd Murray, director
of the WSU Agricultural and
Natural Resources Exten-
sion Program, said upon
Granatstein’s retirement.
Tracking organics
In 2000, Granatstein
began tracking organic acre-
age, transition acreage, the
number of organic farms
and varieties and specifics
of organic crops. The main
categories are tree fruit, veg-
etables and forages but he
also tracks more than 100
other crops of lesser organic
volume.
His annual reports have
been used by growers, oth-
ers in business, academ-
ics and policy makers. The
reports are in greater depth
than efforts by USDA. He
gleans the data from state
and private organic certifica-
tion programs in Washing-
ton, Oregon and California
and, he says, covers about
98 percent of organic farms
in Washington.
Organic production has
grown from a gross farmgate
value of $101 million in
Washington in 2005 to $667
million in 2017. That’s 6.2
percent of total farmgate.
Granatstein’s initial moti-
vation in pushing organ-
ics was to lessen farming’s
impact on the environment.
But he knew he also had to
show an economic reason
for growers to adopt it.
In 2014, production costs
of organic Gala apples were
estimated at 12 percent
higher than conventional
Gala, the yield was 8 per-
cent lower but the price was
42 percent higher. That led
to a 270 percent higher profit
margin for the organic crop.
In fact, he found, the mar-
ket price for organic turned
out to be 100 percent more
than conventional gala,
making it even better.
While the profit margin
of organics over conven-
tional has been narrowing in
recent years, it is still large
enough to make organics
worthwhile, he said.
Finding his calling
A key moment in Granat-
stein’s career was during
his undergraduate years at
Cornell University. He was
good in math and science
and wanted to become an
engineer. But he loved the
natural world, hiking in the
Adirondack Mountains.
In a biology class, he
realized there was a whole
science to the natural world
and later realized agricul-
ture had a huge impact on
the environment. Combin-
ing agriculture and the envi-
ronment clicked for him.
He had been born and
raised in Syracuse, N.Y.,
with no farm background.
His father helped manage
a family clothing business.
His mother used her Span-
ish training to work at the
state employment security
department.
Upon graduation from
Cornell with a bachelor’s
degree in environmen-
tal conservation in 1973,
Granatstein worked for
the Maryland Department
of Natural Resources. He
was about to join the Peace
Corps but thought it “ludi-
crous” that he was going
overseas to teach farming to
people who had been doing
it for 3,000 years when he
never had.
Career path
A friend from college
invited him to an alternative
ag conference in Ellensburg,
Wash. He went and ended up
co-manager of Libby Creek
Farm, an organic farm in
Okanogan County, for the
next seven years.
He next spent a year in
southern Africa working as
an agronomist on a WSU
farming systems project
while getting his master’s
degree in soil management
at WSU.
He was farm research
director for the Land Stew-
ardship Project, a private
nonprofit, in Minnesota for
two years. There he tried to
find alternatives to address
nitrate and herbicide pollu-
tion in groundwater.
“It needed to be profit-
able and environmental at
the same time. It was really
my first chance to work on
sustainability,” he said.
While there he wrote,
“Reshaping the Bottom
Line,” an early sustainable
ag book for farmers.
In 1989, he became proj-
ect manager of the North-
west
Dryland
Cereal/
Legume Cropping Systems
Project at WSU in Pull-
man. It was one of the first
USDA Sustainable Agricul-
ture Research and Extension
projects in the West.
In 1992, WSU formed
the Center for Sustain-
ing Agriculture and Natu-
ral Resources. Granatstein
became statewide coordina-
tor and moved to Wenatchee
to be more centrally located.
He held that position for 26
years until his retirement.
He has been involved
in many projects relating
to soil, compost, orchard
floor management, climate,
fruit production and was a
founder of the Food Alli-
ance, an ecolabel program in
Portland. He has conducted
sustainable ag training in
Russia, Argentina, Italy,
Germany, Taiwan, Ghana,
Chile and Canada.
More recently, he spoke
in Kyrgyzstan and at an
international pear sympo-
sium in Uruguay. In retire-
ment, he plans to complete
at least the 20th year of his
organic farming statistical
report.
Concerns, optimism
Looking ahead, Granat-
stein said the tree fruit
industry needs to be mindful
Education: Bachelor’s
degree in environmental
conservation, Cornell
University, 1973; master’s
degree in soil manage-
ment, Washington State
University, 1987.
Occupation: WSU pro-
fessor emeritus.
Work history: Statewide
coordinator of WSU
Center for Sustaining
Agriculture and Natural
Resources, 1992-2018;
manager WSU SARE,
1989-1992; farm research
director, Land Steward-
ship Project, Lewiston,
Minn., 1987-1988;
co-manager Libby Creek
Farm, Carlton, Wash.,
1975-1982.
2019 OSU Small Farms Confer-
ence: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., LaSells Stew-
art Center, 875 SW 26th St., Cor-
vallis, Ore. Educational sessions in
English and Spanish on farming and
the food system; exhibits by over 50
organizations. $85 (no registration at
the door). http://blogs.oregonstate.
edu/smallfarmsconference/.
Oregon Pork Producers
Annual Meeting: 1-4 p.m., Ore-
gon State University Oldfield Animal
Teaching Facility, SW 35th St., Cor-
vallis. Oregon pork producers are
invited to the meeting, which will
include the election of delegate can-
didates for the National Pork Produc-
ers Delegate Body. For more infor-
mation, contact the Oregon Pork
Producers, 34231 SE Homan Road,
Gresham, Ore. 97030. Oregon Pork
Producers, burkegayle@gmail.com.
SUNDAY, FEB. 24
Sustainable Horse Keep-
ing Workshop: 1-4 p.m., Tualatin
Soil and Water Conservation Dis-
trict, 7175 NE Evergreen Parkway,
No. 400, Hillsboro, Ore. Join Tuala-
tin Soil and Water Conservation Dis-
trict and Horses for Clean Water
for a free workshop about pas-
ture management, horse health
and water conservation. Charlotte
Trowbridge, charlotte.trowbridge@
tualatinswcd.org, 503-277-3709.
https://www.swcd.net/event/sus-
tainable-horse-keeping-workshop/.
MONDAY, FEB. 25
Changing Hands in Baker City:
Workshop on Farm/Ranch Transfer
and Access: 8 a.m.-3:45 p.m., Geiser
Grand Hotel, 1996 Main St., Baker
City, Ore. This workshop is a part
of a series that will bring together
retiring and aspiring farmers for a
full day of training on land access
and succession planning. Ash-
ley Rood, ashley@roguefarmcorps.
org, (971) 409-6806. $20. https://bit.
ly/2MexZlW.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 27
The Commodity Classic:
Orange County Convention Center,
9800 International Drive, Orlando,
Fla. This is the combined trade show
and meetings of the National Asso-
ciation of Wheat Growers, American
Soybean Association, National Corn
Growers Association, National Sor-
ghum Producers and the Association
of Equipment Manufacturers. http://
commodityclassic.com/.
SEDCOR Ag Breakfast for
Polk and Yamhill Counties: 7:30-
9:30 a.m., Northwest Wine Stud-
ies Center at Chemeketa Eola, 215
Doaks Ferry Road NW, Salem. This
year’s topic is the impact of water
reallocation on the agriculture
industry. Speakers will be Margaret
Matter of the Oregon Department
of Agriculture and Mary Ann Cooper
of the Oregon Farm Bureau. RSVP
by Feb. 22 to tlundy@sedcor.com.
http://www.sedcor.com/events.
Palouse Alternative Cropping
Symposium: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Glad-
ish Community Center, 115 NW State
St., Pullman, Wash. Local farmers will
share experiences from on-farm tri-
als and efforts to find what works for
their operation. Sponsored by the
Palouse Conservation District and
the Washington State Soil Health
Committee. http://www.palousecd.
org/symposium.
THURSDAY, FEB. 28
The Commodity Classic:
Orange County Convention Center,
9800 International Drive, Orlando,
Fla. http://commodityclassic.com/.
FRIDAY, MARCH 1
The Commodity Classic:
Orange County Convention Center,
9800 International Drive, Orlando,
Fla. http://commodityclassic.com/.
SATURDAY, MARCH 2
The Commodity Classic:
Orange County Convention Center,
9800 International Drive, Orlando,
Fla. http://commodityclassic.com/.
SUNDAY, MARCH 3
National Farmers Union 117th
Anniversary Convention: Hyatt
Regency Bellevue, 900 Bellevue Way
NE, Bellevue, Wash. NFU’s 117th
Anniversary Convention will gather
family farmers and ranchers from
across the country, industry profes-
sionals and notable speakers. Farm-
ers and ranchers from Washington,
Oregon and Idaho are provided with
a special offer to receive a free, one-
year Farmers Union membership
with their registration. http://NFU.
org/nwfu-2019-convention.
MONDAY, MARCH 4
National Farmers Union 117th
Anniversary Convention: Hyatt
Regency Bellevue, 900 Bellevue Way
NE, Bellevue, Wash. http://NFU.org/
nwfu-2019-convention.
TUESDAY, MARCH 5
National Farmers Union 117th
Anniversary Convention: Hyatt
Regency Bellevue, 900 Bellevue Way
NE, Bellevue, Wash. http://NFU.org/
nwfu-2019-convention.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6
Changing Hands in Corval-
lis: Workshop on Farm Transfer
and Land Access: 8 a.m.-3:45 p.m.,
LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th
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To Reach Us
of its environmental foot-
print with the expanding use
of orchard inputs such as
plastic netting for orchard
protection.
There’s a lot of plastic
waste when the netting gets
old. While netting makes
economic sense, “what’s the
environmental impact, is use
of a non-renewable resource
sustainable and is it socially
acceptable?” he asks.
Granatstein has held edu-
cational forums on the pros
and cons of genetically mod-
ified organisms.
“Most GMO technology
to date doesn’t meet my own
personal sustainability per-
spective, but I suspect that
will change,” he said.
Roundup Ready crops
help with no-till but weeds
become resistant, stron-
ger herbicides are used and
more genetic engineering is
needed for the crop, he said,
making it a never-ending
cycle.
Genetic modification of
apples to resist disease bet-
ter fits with his sustainabil-
ity concept but still needs
careful evaluation for unin-
tended consequences, he
said.
“I’m not suggesting it be
allowed in organic at this
point,” he said.
“Overall, I’m really opti-
mistic about the future of
ag,” Granatstein said. “Par-
ticularly our understand-
ing of microbiology and the
potential for better micro-
bial management in agri-
culture leading to break-
throughs similar to what we
see in human health with
the human microbiome
findings.”
CALENDAR
SATURDAY, FEB. 23
Mike Forrester
Steve Forrester
Kathryn Brown
Susan Rana
Harrison Forrester
Mike Omeg
Cory Bollinger
Jeff Rogers
St., Corvallis, Ore. Join Rogue Farm
Corps for “Changing Hands: A Work-
shop on Farm Transfer and Access
to Land.” This workshop is a part of a
series that will bring together retiring
and aspiring farmers for a full day of
training on land access and succes-
sion planning. Ashley Rood, ashley@
roguefarmcorps.org, (971) 409-6806.
$20. https://bit.ly/2GqGdHP.
NRCS Northwest Working
Group Meeting: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.,
Padilla Bay National Estuarine
Research Reserve, 10441 Bayview
Edison Road, Mt. Vernon, Wash.
The data collected at these meet-
ings plays a major role in the agen-
cy’s direction at the local level. Sno-
homish, Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan
Islands, Whidbey Island, Clallum, Jef-
ferson conservation districts. Sarah
Tanuvasa, 360-428-7684.
OFRF’s 22nd Annual Benefit
Luncheon: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., The
City National Grove of Anaheim,
2200 East Katella Ave., Anaheim,
Calif. Organic dairy farmer Heather
Darby of Allburg, Vt., will be joined
by Allie Mentzer, advocacy senior
manager at National Co+op Grocers,
and Brise Tensor, executive direc-
tor at the Organic Farming Research
Foundation. Prepare to be inspired
by these groundbreakers in the
organic industry as you kick off Expo
West. https://ofrf.org/events.
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Index
Dairy ......................................................12
Livestock ...............................................12
Markets .................................................14
Northwest Ag Show Photo Gallery .... 8-10
Opinion ...................................................6
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