04/21/2007

Station gets $10K gift from grower

TRAVERSE CITY — An endowment fund for research activities at the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station received a $10,000 gift from a longtime fruit grower and processor from Frankfort.

Smeltzer Orchard Company made the contribution to the Research Station's recently formed foundation, which is creating a $1 million endowment to help pay for its research work in the face of dwindling state and federal support. Smeltzer president and CEO Tim Brian said the "company recognizes the need for research that helps our growers compete in the world marketplace.”

The company's operations in northern Michigan date to 1872 when William Smeltzer planted one of the first fruit orchards in the state. Its processing operation began in 1946 and currently handles up to 45 million pounds of fruit per year, including cherries, cranberries, blueberries, apples and strawberries. Its facility includes more than 1.3 million feet of freezer storage and 430,000 cubic feet of cold storage.

"This company has been a leader in the northwest Michigan fruit industry since its inception, and this generous donation is a terrific example of their commitment to the economic sustainability of fruit farming in our region,” research station coordinator Nikki Rothwell said.

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