China bites into apple market. With the Farm Bill up for renewal this year for the first time since 2002, apple growers are pressing for an unprecedented amount of federal funding to develop technologies to make harvesting less costly, and aid to develop overseas markets. Like farmers in bigger apple-producing states, they are becoming increasingly anxious about the prospect of China flooding the U. About 60 percent of the apples are sold as fresh fruit, and about 25 percent are exported....

Rice's family today owns 1,000 acres of orchards and packs and markets apples for 50 area growers primarily in Pennsylvania's historic growing area in Adams County, on the Maryland border. Third-generation Pennsylvania grower Dave Benner, 61, like most growers, has slowly replaced older, larger trees in his orchard with smaller dwarf ones that are close together. But the growers who have made this mountainous region the core of apple-growing in Pennsylvania worry that they face a new...

In pitching the product to USDA buyers, the MACMA apple division and CMI said apple-cherry juice would make good use of excess inventories of Michigan apples and cherries, and provide a healthy and nutritious beverage for recipients of the agencys food assistance programs. USDA buys several different juices, but historically the only other apple juice blend purchased by the government agency has been one made with cranberries. In pitching the product to USDA buyers, the MACMA apple...

Strawberry growers say the earlier you get out the better. Brenda Dolinski is a veteran at picking strawberries but after April's hard freeze she didn't think there'd be many this year. But as it turns out her family won't be deprived of pies, ice cream topping, and short cake. Ed feared a total loss but the yield has been cut by only about 20 percent. Once temperatures hit 80 degrees the berries ripen quickly and need to be harvested. Berries Weather the Freeze There have been 1 comments...

He is one of just two organic strawberry growers of the roughly 150 in the Plant City area; Florida's strawberry industry is worth about $200 million a year. He's been a strawberry grower since 1978, but two years ago he became a pioneer in organic farming just as consumer demand for produce grown without synthetic chemicals began to increase. Researchers and industry members specializing in producing and handling citrus, vegetables and ornamental plants shared information unique to...