Young Apple Growers Meet with Lawmakers

Posted by Christina Herrick|April 19, 2017

Young apple leaders including (from left to right) Brett Monson (Monson Fruit Company), Spencer MacQueen (MacQueen Orchards Inc.), Jordan Bachman (Sunny Hill Fruit Farm), Clint Edwards (Frosty Ridge Orchards), Hailey Wertenberger (Sage Fruit Company), Jake Walkenhauer (Larson Fruit Company), Megan Wade (Columbia Fruit Packers, Inc.), Cristy Warnock (Rainier Fruit Co.), Gunnar Berg (Yakima Fresh, LLC), Tabitha Francis (California Apple Commission), Joel Crist (Crist Bros. Orchards Inc.), Ryan Rasch (GreenTree Orchards LLC), Matthew Murphy (Red Jacket Orchards), Jordan Youngquist (Youngquist Farms), and RJ Simons (BelleHarvest Sales) met with lawmakers to discuss issues affecting the future of agriculture. (Photo Credit: USApple)

As part of the U.S. Apple Association (USApple) annual fly-in, 17 accomplished and aspiring Young Apple Leaders were selected by the organization to represent the industry and meet one-on-one with members of Congress to discuss hard-hitting issues affecting the future of agriculture, the food supply, and our nation’s health.

Joined by another 60 apples growers, the group descended on Capitol Hill on March 23, 2017 and asked Congress to consider the most important issues impacting their profession, their local family business, and their role in sustaining future food supply. The issues discussed at length were agriculture labor reform, NAFTA, the USDA Market Access Program, the Farm Bill, and research initiatives.

“With a new President and a new Congress, now is a critical time to advocate for the apple industry,” said Jim Bair, President and CEO of USApple. “We thank the Young Apple Leaders for adding a leadership voice to our message and being a part of the solution. It is appreciated.”