Cherry and stonefruit growers throughout the US state of Washington have voted to make a US$5m investment over the next eight years at Washington State University (WSU) research and extension centers in Prosser and Wenatchee.
State Department of Agriculture officials certified the election results, with the referendum approved by 338 of the 565 ballots cast by cherry growers, a 59 per cent approval rate, and 32 of the 47 ballots cast by stonefruit growers, a 68 per cent approval rate.
Cherry growers will be assessed US$4 per tonne and stonefruit growers $1 per tonne, the University confirmed.
'The close partnership between Washington’s tree fruit industry and Washington State University continues to be transformational,' said WSU president Elson Floyd. 'Working together for more than a century, we have helped to make Washington a world leader in tree fruit production.
'The assessment by cherry and stone fruit growers, in combination with the US$27m investment in WSU made by apple and pear growers in 2011, helps to ensure that our partnership in progress continues for an even brighter future for our state,' Floyd continued. 'We are extremely grateful for the industry’s confidence and investment in WSU.'
Jim Doornink, chair of the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission, said approval of the special project assessment further cements a long-standing partnership between WSU and the state's tree fruit industry.
'This investment builds on the strategic road map outlined by the industry and WSU over a decade ago for all our commodities,' said Doornink, who raises cherries, apricots, peaches, pears and apples in the Yakima Valley. 'That trajectory has continued according to plan with WSU’s strategic hires, the commission’s continued funding of priority projects, and now this industry-wide support to make our research and extension partnership with WSU unequivocally the best in the world.'
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