midwest$apple$growers$adopt$$ …€¦ ·...
TRANSCRIPT
FOR MINNESOTA, WISCONSIN, TRADE MEDIA
Midwest Apple Growers Adopt
New Environmental Growing Practices Major Regional Grower Commitment to New Environmental Initiative;
New Enhanced Growing Practices Help Protect Honeybees
Elgin, Minnesota, September 26, 2016 – Midwest apple lovers will soon enjoy locally
grown, sustainable fruit that brings even more peace of mind with every bite. Eleven
leading orchards across Minnesota and Wisconsin have committed to TruEarth™, a new
grower protocol and certification program designed to safeguard the land, protect
biodiversity in orchards and create a sustainable and local farming economy for
Midwest apple growers.
Created in conjunction with the Integrated Pest Management Institute of North America,
an independent non-‐profit organization, TruEarth is the brainchild of Fred Wescott of
Honeybear Brands, the Elgin, Minnesota based regional grower, packer and marketer of
premium apple varieties throughout the Midwest. In development for seven years, this
year TruEarth reached 100 percent grower participation including leading orchards In
Minnesota and Wisconsin. This commitment from growers comes as the state also
focuses attention on the issue of protective measures for Minnesota’s honeybee
population with Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton’s issuing of an executive order to
limit the use of certain pesticides in state agriculture in an effort to help protect the
endangered honeybee population.
Growers committed to TruEarth include all members of the Mississippi Valley Fruit
Company – a group of 11 locally owned apple orchards throughout Minnesota and
Wisconsin.
“As growers and apple producers we’ve had a decades-‐long tradition of doing the right
thing when it comes to our land, produce and farming communities,” says Fred Wescott,
president Honeybear Brands and owner, Wescott Orchards. “TruEarth and the
commitment of our growing partners is a continuation of this environmental focus and
we hope it will help to play one small part in Minnesota’s efforts to reduce pesticide use
across the agricultural sector.”
“TruEarth goes far beyond protecting just our native wild bees and honeybees. It’s
intended as a roadmap and a grower community commitment to producing the best
possible fruit to put on grocery store shelves with the most care and the least impact on
our environment.”
The TruEarth protocol helps orchardists adopt the most advanced sustainable-‐farming
farming practices:
o Comprehensive monitoring protocols help identify pests and time specific
treatments only when they exceed research-‐based thresholds
o Identify strategies to manage pests without the use of highly toxic pesticides
o Bee pollinator surveys conducted annually at each growing location to assess
bee health and identify actions items to improve native bee habitat
o Prohibition of the most highly toxicity pesticides used in apple production
o Protection of biodiversity including beneficial insects and wildlife
o Cleaner water by reducing soil erosion
o Apples free of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)
o Energy and water conservation in orchards and packing facilities
o Ongoing recycling of waste
Participating TruEarth growers complete a comprehensive-‐farming assessment to
determine areas of potential improvement and to identify sustainable practices used to
manage pests. Land management practices are also reviewed and enhanced to protect
pollinators and wildlife. Annual audits ensure compliance with the TruEarth protocol
and all growers participate in an annual meeting to share information on new advances
in sustainable farming practices and to learn from other TruEarth certified growers.
“This is a true leadership initiative making a real difference,” says Dr. Tom Green,
President of the IPM Institute. “We’re delighted to collaborate with Honeybear Brands
to help create a meaningful program which protects our resources for future
generations by using advanced practices for fruit production which benefit consumers,
farmworkers and the environment.”
For more information about TruEarth visit www.truearth.net
# # #
About TruEarth (www.truearth.net) TruEarth is a conscious, thoughtful way of farming for the good of the land, grower communities and consumers. Developed in conjunction with the IPM Institute of North America, it is a set of protocols and best practices that hold growers to the highest standards and guarantee peace of mind to retailers and consumers that all Honeybear fruit carrying the TruEarth label has been grown responsibly. About Honeybear Brands (www.honeybearbrands.com) Honeybear Marketing is the marketing arm for, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Wescott Agri Products. Honeybear is a leading grower and developer of premium apple varieties. The company started as Wescott Agri Products, a family run apple orchard in the early 1970s. From that early start several generations ago, today Honeybear still
employs the same hands-‐on, personal attention to each and every apple variety produced through the Honeybear Apple Varietal Development Program. Honeybear is the leading provider of Honeycrisp apples in the Northwest region and offers complete domestic and global apply supply integration from varietal development to growing, packing, shipping and retailer support. For more information visit www.honeybearbrands.com or contact Honeybear @ 952-‐746-‐1315