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pie of this gas, which collects in the head space of the desicca- 

 tor, is introduced into an ethylene indicator tube which changes 

 color from yellow to blue-green as the chemical indicator reacts 

 with ethylene. A 200 ml. gas sample is tested. 



Fruit testing about 0.5 ppm of ethylene or less is utilized 

 for longest term storage. Apples testing about 2.5 ppm or less 

 are considered satisfactory for mid-term CA and those testing 

 greater than 5 ppm are used for short-term storage. Making such 

 prestorage ethylene analysis and storing fruit accordingly has 

 markedly improved the fruit firmness situation for one of our 

 major long-term storage operators. 



Marketing 



A unique experience to Michigan fruit growers in the last 

 few years is a marketing and bargaining bill known as Public Act 

 344. This state legislation provides for the establishment of a 

 grower marketing organization possessing exclusive marketing con- 

 trol over a fruit crop when 51% of the growers of a specified mar- 

 keting unit request certification to be the marketing agency for 

 that commodity. The legislation pertains to marketing of produce 

 for processing, not fresh market outlets. Processors, desiring 

 to purchase the product of the grower marketing organization, must 

 bargain with the organization on price and other terms relative 

 to marketing of the grower's produce. All growers pay a fee, de- 

 ducted by the processor, to the association for its bargaining ser- 

 vices. The constitutionality of the legislation is being challenged 

 in Michigan courts and growers have varying opinions about it. 

 It has disrupted some long established grower-processor relation- 

 ships. In 1976, bargaining returned more money to the Michigan 

 producer of processed apples than that returned to growers in other 

 competing areas in the eastern part of the country. There are some 

 problems to be resolved in the marketing procedures but the other 

 states are closely observing the performance of PA 344 in Michigan 

 to determine if similar marketing legislation has merit for their 

 respective areas. 



Expansion of farm marketing through pick-your-own and retail 

 farm markets has increased and been important to the success of 

 many orchardists in recent years. It is more intensive in south- 

 eastern Michigan near the metropolitan Detroit area. However, it 

 is being performed very successfully by many enterprising fruit 

 growers throughout Michigan. 



(Will be continued in the January-February ^ 1978 issue) 



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