Apple Industry Looking To Create Specialty Plate To Help WAEF

The Apple Commission is working with lawmakers in Olympia this session, trying to create a specialty license plate to celebrate Washington apples and support the Washington Apple Education Foundation.  If the blue plate featuring the Washington apple logo is approved, generated revenue would be donated to WAEF, the tree fruit industry’s official charity.  Jennifer Witherbee, Executive Director of the Washington Apple Education Foundation, says over the past 25 years, they have helped 2,000 student attend college.

“It just means more kids get that opportunity to attend college and succeed at college.  As the Foundation has evolved one of the changes we’ve made is that we evaluate our success based on our students’ succeeding.  Are they making it through college in their desired number of years?  And are they graduating from college ready to enter their career fields?”

Witherbee said those college success stories have only been made possible by the $9 million donated by the tree fruit industry.

Todd Fryhover, President of the Washington Apple Commission, said this license plate, and donations to WAEF are an investment in the future of the state’s top commodity.

“We’re seeing a lot of technology improvements in our industry, which is going to require people that have the background and knowledge to execute.  So, when we look at the young population and they’re going out and through Jennifer’s help they’re being educated, we hope they come back in our industry.  Whether that is as an accountant, an engineer, or some types of field work even.  So we really view this as an important part of prospering in the future of our industry.”

For the new specialty plate to be considered, 3,500 signatures must be collected.  Click Here to sign the petition to push the Apple plate forward.

Washington Apples account for up to 60,000 jobs and $2.7 billion in revenue statewide.

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