2013 FLCG Crop Update by Bruce Johnson, President

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1 P U B L I S H E D B Y T H E F L A T H E A D L A K E C H E R R Y G R O W E R S, I N C A M O N T A N A A G R I C U L T U R A L C O O P E R A T I V E S I N C E The Flathead Lake Cherry Growers Quickview Review 2014 Q U A R T E R L Y N E W S L E T T E R 4 T H Q U A R T E R I M P O R T A N T D A T E S Dates Some Yet To Be Determined FLCG Spring Grower Meeting Yellow Bay Cherry Blossom Festival May 17, 2014 FLCG Pre-Harvest Grower Meeting Polson Main Street Flathead Lake Cherry Festival Editor /Publisher Ken Edgington 2013 FLCG Crop Update by Bruce Johnson, President FLCG Growers shipped to Monson 6,390 bins of cherries totaling 1,753,200 pounds this year. Following is the break down by variety: Lapin (3,607 Bins) Lambert (1,922 Bins) Rainier (602 Bins) Skeena (201 Bins) Sweetheart (48 Bins) Bing (10 Bins) Note: Rainier cherries are not packed 300 lbs. per bin, so the number of bins times 300 does not represent total pounds delivered by FLCG. Our Premium Montana Fruit was shipped in our Montana Premium Box that was designed and first used in Cherry Industry Update A new 40-second Consumer video was tested in several cities using a Digital Photo Frame as part of the cherry display. The video explained where Flathead cherries are grown, who grew them and the benefits of eating cherries. This same video is available on the opening page of our website. USDA indicates the following data for 2013 Northwest Cherry Shipments Shipped by: Total Cherry Shipments were 438,750,000 lbs. (September 7-8 Report) This number breaks down as follows: Rail: 420,000 lbs. Imported into the U.S: 19,090,000 lbs. Truck: 319,520,000 lbs. Air: 92,550,000 lbs. Organic: 7,170,000 lbs. U.S. Exports (included in the above data): 120,920,000 lbs Cherry Shipments were down approximately 37% from 2012 Data Represents: California, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Utah and Montana

2 P A G E 2 Global GAP Update by Mark St. Sauver Thirty FLCG growers decided to apply for Global GAP certification this year. Because we are a co-operative, the rules stated that 6 of the 30 growers would be randomly selected for audits. All 6 random audits passed certification, thus all 30 growers achieved GAP certification for the year Certification must be renewed each year with similar audit requirements. It is hopeful that more growers will opt into the program next year now that we have one year under our belts. It should be much easier the next time around. A press release was sent to Montana media at the end of this year s cherry season regarding the 30 growers receiving GAP certification. Several of the media published the press release in their publications and also on their websites. The Missoulian newspaper sent a reporter into the field to a member grower s orchard for a very comprehensive article on the entire GAP process. Global GAP s industry FaceBook page picked up on the release published in the Helena Tribune and shared it with their Facebook followers. The Billings Gazette published the same article that appeared in the Missoulian. Missoula TV Channel 13 also covered this event. The Valley Journal covered the certification in print and the article was posted on their website. Thanks to Monson Fruit Company for making available their GAP expert, Phil Nelson, to all 30 of the FLCG members who ventured into the certification process this year. Phil s expertise and assistance played the major role in our members becoming familiar with, and executing the program s demanding requirements and having the confidence to complete the process with success.

3 P A G E 3 Charlie s Produce Runs Display Contest by Ken Edgington In 2012 FLCG introduced its redesigned Montana Premium Box. The box was designed so it could be used in a retailer s Montana Cherry Display. In 2013 FLCG test-marketed the use of a digital photo frame that repeatedly shows FLCG s new 40-second Consumer Oriented video. This 40-second video is also available on the opening page of FLCG s website. Kalispell s City Center Super 1 Store was one of the stores where the test took place. The store s island display was a spectacular display of Montana Premium Cherries. The Montana Premium Box, the digital photo frame and the creativeness of the display showed our product in the very best light. Charlie s Produce provided prizes for the most creative Super 1 Store displays of FLCG cherries and this year Domex contributed some gift cards as part of the contest prizes. Tim Hendricks, Charlie s Produce, reported the following comments from store managers and customers. Overall quality of the fruit was better than last year. Stores and consumers both said the flavor was much better this year. Fruit was firmer this year which improved shelf-life for the retailers. The Montana Black Boxes are a great way to separate the Premium fruit from anything else on the market. The test of the digital photo frames this year was a great extra to the already impressive displays QR Code Speaks To Managers by Dick Beighle Tested for the first time in 2013 was FLCG s use of a QR code in national trade ads. A QR code is something that a smartphone can use to take the viewer directly to content the advertiser wants the viewer to see. It can be still content like pictures and text, or it can be video telling the story. FLCG developed a video and a QR code so produce buyers using their smartphones could see a short 40 second video explaining why they should set themselves apart from their competitors by merchandising Montana FLCG Flathead Cherries. The QR code was embedded in our national ad and as of the publishing of this newsletter over 470 produce managers have viewed our story. If you have a smartphone and have downloaded a QR Code reader App you can use it with our QR code to see exactly what these produce buyers saw.

4 P A G E 4 From The Field by Brian Campbell, Monson Field Representative This season presented us with a couple new horticultural challenges; Mites and Powdery Mildew. You probably thought I was going to say BMSBs (Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs) and SWDs (Spotted Wing Drosophilas). Their time is coming (or-maybe-not...?). First, let s take the mites. I've noticed what seems to be a gradual, yet steady, increase in the "bad mites" population over the last several seasons in several orchards. I designate "bad mites" because there are, of course, also beneficial mites (or predatory mites) such as the Typh (Typhodromus) which feeds on the smaller, leaf sucking mites. The bad ones that have gotten worse are European Red mites and Two Spotted Spider mites. Even with a magnifying glass these mites look like mere specks on the bottom of the leaves. However, you can often see some Typhs on the bottom of the leaves which are a lot fewer in number, but with 10X magnification you can make out their body parts. If the Typhs are present then you know their prey, the bad mites, are present too. The numerous numbers of mite species, their life cycles, interrelationships, time of emergence, destructiveness, and therefore tolerant population levels, can all be very complicated. But for now, it's sufficient to say that preventative measures need to be taken on a yearly basis to keep them in check and if you see the deleterious effects of mites on your trees during the growing season, you should take further action. The only preventative measure that we have in our spray program is the delayed dormant spray. Dormant oil is an excellent way to smother the mite eggs at the delayed-dormant stage. And the Chlorpyrifos (Lorsban, Whirlwind...) will kill some mites such as the European Red. If you're leaving out either of these materials, or if you're putting on too little oil (less than 3 gl. per ac.), you're not killing any mites. A number of us have gotten away without these sprays for a while but now the mites are getting the upper hand. Other miticides can be applied at delayed-dormant if necessary such as; Vendex, Apollo 4SC, and Savey 50DF. There is a tolerant level for mites and normally one can get through the season without them affecting the quality of the crop, but in a dry July like this year they multiplied fast and were at deleterious levels well before harvest time. Also, multiple applications of Amidachloprid ('Provado') and/or Carbaryl ("Sevin") will kill predatory mites and can cause a flair-up of bad mites. The stress to the infected trees in some cases this season severely affected the size, ripening and overall quality of the fruit. In July, it's too late to spray. All miticides used as cover sprays have long PHIs and a summer oil can be damaging to your crop. Post-harvest miticides include: Vendex, Omite, Agri-Mek (recommended by Ron Moon) and summer oil (a light weight oil applied at 1 to 1.5% dilution). Powdery Mildew will be covered in the next Newsletter.

5 P A G E 5 FLCG Produces Cherry Documentary by Ken Edgington FLCG hired Lynne Fleming of ADMIT ONE TV in Kalispell to produce a 4-minute video documenting when cherries first came to Montana, when the Flathead Lake Cherry Growers Cooperative was formed and the importance of this Montana industry to the state s tourism. Filming for the video starts in the winter when the cherry trees are pruned and follows the life of Flathead cherries through a typical cherry season ending with the computer controlled sorting and packaging prior to delivery to customers in various parts of the U.S. and around the globe. See the 4-minute video on our website Menu Item Flathead Cherry Video From The Past by Sharon Myers Contact Information The Flathead Lake Cherry Growers P.O. Box 2049 Bigfork, Montana The Flathead Lake Cherry Growers Cooperative was formed in 1935 and the first load of cherries was shipped from the Kalispell Warehouse. Phone: Fax: hammons@centurytel.net On The Web At Growing Montana s Premium Flathead Cherries