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Update: In March of 2021, the House passed the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act (FWMA), for the second time. Once again, USApple advocated for the bill and most “apple” congressional members voted for the measure. Attention then turned to the Senate, where Mike Bennet (D-Colo.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) agreed to take the lead. Negotiations began … Continued
What are the stages of an apple after it’s picked? Apples picked in the orchard are carefully (to avoid bruising) placed in harvest bins with a capacity of roughly 20 bushels (each bushel weighs about 42 pounds) that have been placed between the orchard rows to be collected as they are filled. The full bins … Continued
How old is an apple by the time someone buys it at the grocery store? The question should not be about the “age” of the apple, or the time since it was picked, but rather it should be about how fresh the apple is. Growers and researchers have focused on the challenge of maintaining the … Continued
If you walked out into an orchard, picked an apple from the tree and rubbed that apple on your shirt, you would notice that it shined − you´ve just polished the natural wax that an apple produces to protect its high-water content. Without wax, vegetables and fruits, like apples, would lose their vital crispness and … Continued
Background: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finalized a rule in June 2015 that significantly expanded the definition of ‘Waters of the United States’ (WOTUS), under the Clean Water Act. The rule grants the federal government regulatory control over virtually any waters – and many land areas that only temporarily hold … Continued
Listeria monocytogenes Listeria monocytogenes is an environmental pathogenic bacteria that can commonly be found in soil, water and vegetative matter. Because of the inherent association between Listeria and agricultural environments, the potential exists for Listeria to be introduced onto a variety of fresh produce products. Foods linked to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes include fresh produce … Continued
Why is the “Dirty Dozen” list flawed? What is USApple’s official response to this year’s “Dirty Dozen” list? The Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list misleads consumers and is based on inaccurate reporting. How do we explain safe pesticide use? What is USApple doing to combat the misinformation?
Summary: In January 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture published the results of its 30th annual Pesticide Data Program (PDP). The PDP collects data on pesticide residues in a wide variety of foods, with a strong focus on foods that are consumed by infants and children. The report presents data on a changing market basket … Continued
Activist groups have expressed concern about the fungicide diphenylamine (DPA), an important and widely used tool by the apple industry for post-harvest storage.
Several years ago, environmental groups petitioned EPA to revoke all tolerances for chlorpyrifos due to alleged impacts on drinking water and human health. The claims were largely based on a series of epidemiological studies that could not be substantiated or replicated, and were contradicted by actual monitoring data from sources such as the Washington State … Continued
