Washington apples

Many Northwest apple growers are reveling in a good crop – with good quality, moderate sizing and nice color.“Most of our people around our board of…

(Runtime 1:06) Known for its crunch and sweet taste, the Cosmic Crisp apple has been awarded “Best Snack” by Good Housekeeping for the third…

Seven apple varieties previously believed to be lost or extinct have been found in eastern Washington, including several on land near the communities of Pullman, Colfax and Moscow.

A boom in American consumers’ online shopping during the pandemic has prompted a boost in imports from Asia. But that left U.S. agriculture products without a ride back. Many ships aren’t waiting to be loaded with agricultural goods at West Coast ports before heading back across the ocean with empty containers. Plus, the Trump administration’s trade war hit apples hard.

It's not often that you'll read an obituary for a tree. Or that a dead tree gets a memorial service of sorts. But then there aren't many like Vancouver, Washington's "Old Apple Tree."

After more than 20 years of development by the Washington State University Tree Fruit Research Commission, the Cosmic Crisp is ready to come to hit store shelves. The goal of new variety is to be attractive to consumers, easy to grow and easy to store over a long period of time.

With harvest wrapped up, the regional apple industry is in prime packing time. But growers and shippers are nervous. The fruit isn’t moving to international markets as quick as usual because of the trade wars.

This month, India may impose retaliatory tariffs on American products – including apples. And that could upset the export apple cart.

The housing shortage in Yakima is coupled with a farm labor shortage. When workers do come, where do they live? The largest farmworker complex in the state opened in Yakima this month. The revamped FairBridge hotel now hosts 800 beds for temporary farm workers. As it opens, critics think it may set a dangerous precedent: Other farmers might start buying up area housing for their own workers - leaving permanent residents searching for affordable housing.

In the Northwest, we’re gearing up for a season of fresh berries, cherries, apples, and much more. Farmers of course want to avoid anything that could hurt crops: cold temperatures, tough tariffs, or even … pesky birds. Forget the clowns. Send in the falcons.