Fruit Education and Training

Use educational and training resources to get the most of your fruit production business
By Jennifer Ehlenfeldt, Freelance Writer Growing fruit for wholesale grocery and farmers markets or for sale to canning or other production industries is an important part of today’s society. Learning to properly grow, handle, package and ship fruit can be quite a challenge. Keeping up with today’s changing regulations along with the consumer’s changing likes and dislikes can seem daunting without the proper training.

Because there are so many types of fruits, finding fruit education and training to fit your farm or orchard's needs can seem challenging without a few good resources. Help keep your staff and yourself properly trained by finding educational materials that are kept up to date. Find helpful training aids by:

1. Joining a professional fruit association that provides educational materials for your specific fruit trees or produce.

2. Finding helpful information through online databases of information.

3. Keeping up-to-date on all aspects of fruit production from growing to marketing your product.

Join a professional produce association to gain access to fruit farming educational materials

Whether you are growing an apple tree or planting watermelons, proper training is needed to keep your business running smoothly. You can gain additional information and training ideas for fruit growing and process by networking with a group of people in the same field as you. Find fruit growers, fruit picking organizations or handling information from an industry leading association that can provide you and your staff with the latest educational materials.
Try:  Joining the American Society of Horticultural Sciences can provide you with a start place when looking for contacts, training and other groups with whom to network. Find educational material at the United Fresh Produce Association, a group that can help with everything from government regulations information to produce marketing ideas.

Educate yourself and your employees using online databases with information about fruit

It's never too late to take a refresher course in proper fruit handling or educate your staff on specific growing, cultivating and packing techniques. Find information on citrus fruits, tropical fruit, apples, melons, berries and much more at online databases of knowledge.
Try:  Use the Cornell University Fruit Resource database to link to hundreds of educational and informational websites with information on all types of fruits. Give your employees a basics course in food safety using the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition website database.

Stay informed about everything from growing fruit to marketing your product

Fruit growers, buyers, retailers and more need access to the latest training when it comes to fruit. Whether you're making fruit baskets or packaging and selling fruit at the local farmer's market, online training can help keep you well educated.
Try:  Use the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service to check out the latest in growing organic fruits. Access the websites database of resources for all types of growing and selling. Look to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center for fruit marketing, retail statistics and more

• Many states have their own fruit growers associations. These more localized organizations can provide you with informatio you need to make connections with growers, sellers and buyers looking for the same information you are.