A continuing education program in sustainable tree fruit production

Commodities

• Fruits: apples, cherries, pears

Practices

• Education and Training: mentoring
• Sustainable Communities: food access and security, leadership development

Tree fruit crops are critical to US economy, with apples ranking first in consumption in the US, over 26,000 producers and 3.2 billion estimated in farm-gate revenue. Washington State is the largest apple and sweet cherry producer in the US, renowned for providing the nation, and much of the world with quality, nutritious fruit. The continued production of healthy, safe, tree fruit crops depend on the knowledge and timely actions of orchard managers and orchard workers, supported by industry professionals, consultants, Extension specialist. These critical management decisions are made increasingly complicated with changes in the nation's tree fruit economy, new cultivars/rootstocks, training systems, technology, evolving pest and disease pressures, climate change, pollination, etc. Unfortunately, to date, there is no place for tree fruit professionals to receive comprehensive, up-to-date training on fruit production technologies or techniques. This proposal by Washington State University faculty will build the structure, curriculum, content, and strategy for deploying a fee-based, continuing education, dual-language, certificate program in sustainable tree fruit production. This program will provide growers, orchard managers, allied industry professionals and Extension specialist, a world-class education in all aspects of sustainable fruit production, from planting to harvest. Based on listening sessions conducted in 2023 - 2024, we have developed a curriculum and educational content. This project will focus on the last step, which is to deploy a pilot of the Sustainable Tree Fruit Academy. Once launched, this certificate course in sustainable tree fruit production will become a self-supporting educational program to foster the continued and progressive development of the tree fruit industries that are critical to the US food security. 

1. Build/pilot a world-class educational program on sustainable fruit production for tree fruit professionals. 
2. Increase opportunities for professional development to farmers and industry professional in English and Spanish. 
3. Increase knowledge and adoption of sustainable tree fruit production practices.