Refining the Crop Forecast
With the completion of the Orchard Census and its transition into a maintenance phase, APAL is now leveraging this wealth of information to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of the Crop Forecast. Starting this coming season, the Crop Forecast will adopt a refined methodology featuring a more targeted approach to data collection.
This new methodology will focus on segmenting data into grouped attributes and sampling blocks that make significant contributions to each attribute group. These attribute groups consist of various categories, including variety, age group, density group, and state. As a result, only selected growers will be contacted for specific blocks, making the data collection process less burdensome on growers.
Over the coming weeks, growers may hear from Lauren Mann, Stephen Tancred, or Susie Murphy White to facilitate this process. The primary data being collected will include:
- Anticipated bins for the 2025 season
- Actual bins for 2024
- Anticipated class 1% for 2025
- Actual class 1% for 2024
We appreciate your collaboration as we continue to refine and improve the Crop Forecast process, ensuring it delivers value to all stakeholders in the apple and pear industry.
