MOSES LAKE, WASHINGTON (December 3, 2024) – Okanagan Specialty Fruits® (OSF), the innovative developer and grower of the world’s best-tasting sliced apple, Arctic®apple, is proud to announce they have been selected to participate in a U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) climate-smart pilot program. The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) was awarded a Climate-Smart Commodities Grant through the USDA and will be spearheading the four-year pilot project titled “A Vibrant Future.”
“We are thrilled to be one of the 100 growers in the United States, and one of only four in Washington State, to be selected to participate in the project,” said Don Westcott, President of OSF. “We pride ourselves on being leaders in the biotechnology industry and look forward to continuing to set the bar when it comes to sustainable agriculture practices.”
Participants in the program will benefit from the development of personalized plans for the implementation of climate-smart practices. Additionally, they will have access to a certified crop adviser, sustainability consultants, and software data to assess their progress.
"With the involvement of innovative members like Okanagan Specialty Fruits in IFPA’s ‘A Vibrant Future’ project, supported by USDA’s Climate-Smart Commodities Grant, we are strengthening the produce industry’s resilience against climate impacts and advancing regenerative agriculture on a global scale. Increasing our consumption of fruits and vegetables benefits both personal health and the health of the planet, helping to reduce our collective carbon footprint,” explained Tamara Muruetagoiena, IFPA’s Vice President of Sustainability. “These specialty crop investments will develop essential tools to measure inputs, ecosystem services, and yields, while establishing systems to track, verify, and promote climate-friendly produce. Through these critical agricultural research initiatives and the dedication of our specialty crop growers, we are advancing our goals to adapt to climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and sequester carbon in the soil.”
As part of the program, IFPA will ask growers of specialty crops to adopt one of six climate-smart production practices, with the goal of creating a market for fruits and vegetables grown using these methods. These practices include short-season cover crops, nutrient management, residue and tillage management, alley cropping, water management, and soil amendments and mulches.
OSF was founded on a commitment to sustainable agriculture and reducing food loss and waste. Their flagship Arctic apple products use biotechnology to silence the enzyme that turns apples brown, resulting in a reduction of damaged apples throughout the entire supply chain and extends the shelf life for their fresh sliced products to an unprecedented 28 days. Technology already implemented on OSF’s state-of-the-art orchards in Washington state also ensures that Arctic apples are grown with sustainability as a top priority.
“This is a groundbreaking program and we’re committed to playing an active role in promoting sustainable agriculture,” said Joel Carter, Orchard Operations Manager for OSF. “By embracing climate-smart practices, OSF aims to contribute to a greener future while continuing to provide consumers with the highest quality specialty crops.”
About Okanagan Specialty Fruits & Arctic Apples
Okanagan Specialty Fruits (OSF) is a vertically integrated company specializing in the development, growing, processing, and marketing of novel tree fruit varieties developed through bioengineering. Based in Summerland, British Columbia, Canada, OSF was founded in 1996 and acquired by an affiliate of Third Security, LLC in 2019. OSF's flagship product is its Arctic apple varieties. Arctic apples provide a sustainable solution to less food waste and improved apple consumption. For consumer information, visit www.arcticapples.com; to learn more about the company's newest venture, Endless Orchard Hard-Pressed Cider, visit www.eocider.com. For company information and partnership opportunities, visit www.okspecialtyfruits.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Rebecca Catlett, Director of Marketing and Communications
(250) 404-0101
[email protected]
Photos to accompany Press Release can be found here.