Nancy:
On behalf of small family fruit growers like ourselves,
thanks for your effort in getting "our" side of the facts out to the
media. Sometimes we feel like we have no way of correcting what are
obvious errors (or just good old bias) about our industry, or farming in
general.
Thanks for helping us have a "good day" during a busy
harvest season.
Scott and "Butch" Palmer Springbrook Orchards, NY
-----Original Message-----
From: apple-crop@virtualorchard.net
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nancy Foster
Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 4:36 PM
To: Apple-Crop
Subject: RE: Apple-Crop: Apple Juice story
Thanks, Matt and everyone, for the comments on the CNN Lou Dobbs story
last week that ran Tuesday evening, Oct. 9.
By now you've probably seen that 4-5 minute story, where Dobbs intended
to raise consumer alarm about the safety of apple juice since some of
the apple juice in the U.S. contains Chinese concentrate.
To answer the question about wage rates, the correct answer is $9-15 per
HOUR, not per day. CNN contacted USApple and several U.S. state apple
associations to gather wage rate information about China vs. the U.S.,
and CNN simply got it wrong on the air. They are now aware of this
mistake.
USApple, representing the national apple industry, was contacted by CNN
for the story. Subsequently I did a 10-minute interview with the goal
of communicating the facts behind concentrate imports and maintaining
consumer confidence in the safety of apple juice, fresh apples, and
other apple products, as well as the overall integrity of the U.S. apple
industry.
It was important that accurate, positive information, be presented to
counterbalance the activist perspective we anticipated would be (and
was) included. During the story, Dobbs argued with his own reporter
over the facts, which probably left consumers wondering what the real
story was and what to believe. We have not seen further media coverage
resulting from the Dobbs story, and are continuing to closely monitor
the situation.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at
[EMAIL PROTECTED] or at the phone number below.
Nancy
Nancy E. Foster
President & CEO
U.S. Apple Association
ph- (703) 442-8850
fx - (703) 790-0845
www.usapple.org <http://www.usapple.org/>
________________________________________________________________________
________________
From: apple-crop@virtualorchard.net
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Matt McCallum
Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 3:56 PM
To: Apple-Crop
Subject: Re: Apple-Crop: Apple Juice story
OK OK guys I will attempt to straighten out Lou - maybe he would let me
on the show to debate it!!!
On Oct 17, 2007, at 1:49 PM, George M. Greene wrote:
Hi Bill and All:
When I worked in Pennsylvania most apple pickers made AT LEAST $10/HOUR.
The old sob stories of apple growers exploiting orchard workers WERE
JUST NOT TRUE. They worked real hard and made good money. Workers
pruning were also making a minimum of $10/HOUR
Please, a PR person in the apple industry needs to straighten them out.
Tim Smith is right on!!!!!!!
Best regards, George
Unfortunately, the text implies that rather than the $2/day chinese
apple pickers earn, apple pickers in America earn $9-$15 (a day). As a
publisher, perhaps you (Matt) could remind them that integrity is all
the news media has to convince readers/listeners of the veracity of
their stories. You might also want to tell them how long this has been
going on, and that news is best served fresh. Thanks for bringing it to
our attention.
Bill Shoemaker, Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
University of Illinois - St Charles Horticulture Research Center
<http://www.nres.uiuc.edu/faculty/directory/shoemaker_wh.html>
www..nres.uiuc.edu/faculty/directory/shoemaker_wh.html
----- Original Message -----
From: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Matt McCallum
To: <mailto:apple-crop@virtualorchard.net> Apple-Crop
Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 8:03 AM
Subject: Apple-Crop: Apple Juice story
Check out the October 9, Lou Dobbs Tonight story on Chinese apple juice
concentrate. They made a big deal that most of the apple juice sold is
from Chinese concentrate - wow talk about being late to the party...
<http://media.vmsnews.com/MR.pl?id=100907-800813-Q001194320>
http://media.vmsnews.com/MR.pl?id=100907-800813-Q001194320.
---
Matt McCallum
Publisher/CEO
Great American Publishing
75 Applewood Drive Suite A
Sparta MI 49345
P - 616-887-9008 ext 101
F - 616-887-2666
<http://www.freshcut.com> http:www.freshcut.com
<http://www.fruitgrowersnews.com> http://www.fruitgrowersnews.com
<http://www.vegetablegrowersnew.com>
http://www.vegetablegrowersnew..com
<http://www.spudman.com> http://www.spudman.com
--
George M. Greene II
68 Willow Lane
Wiscasset, ME 04578
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
207-882-8074
