In a decision that will ultimately impact the very core of Georgia's apple industry and its market strategies, local apple growers have cast their votes to maintain the Georgia Apple Commission's Marketing Order for an additional three years. The extension was confirmed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, highlighting a community of producers choosing to invest in the collective promotion, education, and research of their livelihood.
This affirmative vote allows the Commission to adjust the assessment rate from two cents per marketed bushel up to a maximum of four cents. It was previously set at a flat rate, and this flexibility is meant to better reflect the varying needs of the Commission. According to a release from the Georgia Department of Agriculture, the Commission has decided to set the rate at three cents for the upcoming apple season, a middle ground aimed to fairly distribute the economic load amongst growers while funding necessary initiatives.
Established in 1962, the Georgia Apple Commission stands as one of the earliest agricultural commodity commissions in the state. Over the decades, it has become integral to the strength and sustainability of the Georgia apple industry, fostering a sense of community and collective progress amongst those who nurture the orchards and harvest the fruit each season.
