Washington Apple Commission Origin

The Washington State Apple Advertising Commission was created by an act of the Washington State Legislature in 1937 at the request of the apple industry, making it one of the oldest and largest commodity commissions in the United States.
The Commission is considered a governmental agency since it is state-mandated, yet is governed and totally funded by growers under the supervision of the Director of Agriculture who approves the budget and sits on the Board of Directors.
The primary purpose of the Commission is advertising, promotion, education and market development for the Washington fresh apple crop. Currently no promotions are being implemented in the US, but are implemented in more than 30 countries overseas where Washington apples are sold. In the fertile valleys and plateaus of America's Pacific Northwest, growers tend orchards that produce the world's best apples. More than 175,000 acres of apple orchards are nestled in the eastern foothills of the picturesque Cascade Mountains of Washington at elevations from 500 to 3,000 feet above sea level. The orchards are irrigated with plentiful and cool mountain water.
The area first became known to American pioneers at the turn of the 19th century and by 1826, early settlers had discovered that the area's rich lava-ash soil and plentiful sunshine created the ideal conditions for growing apples. The arid climate also meant fewer insect and disease problems, thereby increasing the overall pristine quality of the apples through to harvest. Noting the health and vigor of apple trees planted along stream banks, pioneers developed irrigation systems, and by 1889, commercial orchards were established. Most apple-growing districts in the State are still located along the banks of major rivers.
The average size of a Washington Apple orchard is about 100 acres, but some cover as many as 5,000 acres and employ 300 or more farm workers year-round. It takes an estimated 35,000 to 45,000 pickers to harvest the apple crop during the peak of harvest. Washington State growers successfully harvest a wide variety of apples including Red and Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala and many others.
Link to: corporate website, Facebook, Wikipedia. A beautiful collection of Apple Box Labels images (Crate labels).