New Apple Variety Hits US Shelves in 2019
A new red apple will be in US supermarkets sometime in 2019, and
it should be available for export in 2020. The new variety is called
Cosmic Crisp and it’s a product of Honeycrisp and Enterprise
apples, giving the apple a firm, crisp texture with a sweet-tart
flavor. Cosmic Crisp, a branded apple developed by Washington
State University, is also naturally slow to brown when cut. The
first commercial harvest is scheduled for the fall of 2019 as the
Cosmic Crisp is harvested in September and October. According
to Rebecca Lyons of the Washington Apple Commission, another
benefit is the Cosmic Crisp’s long shelf life. Lyons says the apples
can be kept in storage for one year without losing their flavor or
texture. “With this good storage characteristic, imports won’t
be needed. Besides, the global planting of Cosmic Crisp will be
limited for the first 10 years,” says Lyons.
—freshplaza.com
Survey Predicts Farm Management Software
Market Will Grow in US
While most US farmers currently don’t use farm management
software (FMS), new data shows that could change in a big way. A
new report by Alpha Brown, based on data collected from a survey
of 1,490 farmers in January, estimates the US FMS market could
grow to $1.62 billion. The report finds FMS holds huge potential
for farms under 50 acres. The survey shows 69 per cent of farmers
still use pen, paper, and non-computerized tools. Meanwhile,
56 per cent use standard computer software like Excel or general
accounting software, but just 16.5 per cent use any kind of FMS.
That correlates to 350,000 farmers going with FMS and spending
$420 million per year. The report found farm operations focused on
field fruits and vegetables, as well as beef farms, currently take the
most advantage of FMS systems like Cropio and Granular.
—precisionag.com
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Maximum Yield