fruit growers

Pacific NW raises a glass to perry — sparkling and still

By Linda Weiford, WSU News WENATCHEE, Wash. – An alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears that was a favorite drink of Napoleon’s is gaining popularity in the United States, thanks to a wave of hard apple cider producers in the Pacific Northwest.

Fruit, nut exporter connects U.S. farms, China markets

By Hope Belli Tinney, Washington SBDC TACOMA, Wash. – Farm Breeze International, a specialty crop export company headquartered in Tacoma, did $7.5 million in revenue in its first year selling tree nuts and fruit concentrate to China. In its second year, 2016, it shipped 15 million pounds of tree nuts and revenue more than tripled.

“Debugging” berries

Washington’s small fruit growers  represent a more than $100 million industry. Berries are big in Washington state. Washington farmers grow the majority of the nation’s red raspberries, producing up to 70 million pounds yearly on more than 10,000 acres. The state’s growers also produce nearly 13 million pounds of strawberries and 14.5 million pounds of […]