About

The Michigan Pomesters was founded in 1947. The organization effort was initiated by several Michigan growers, as an effort to unify the industry. In the beginning, it started as a statewide chapter with five clubs throughout the state: Grand Rapids, Kenowa, Ionia-Montcalm, Ridge, and Oceana. Each chapter consisted of 30 members, who were unanimously voted in by existing members.

Initially, the primary purpose was a discussion of economics to ensure equity and competitiveness across the apple industry. The group quickly became a place for members to discuss best practices for horticulture and pest management. Sharing information and learning from each other became a staple of the organization and cultivated the broad success of the industry.

Membership and participation was very strict, to ensure the quality of the information produced by the group. These meetings included the discussion of industry business, along with field tours to observe best management practices for fruit production.

Through the years it’s evolved into a community of growers, marketers, and industry professionals. The goal is to share knowledge and set the Michigan tree fruit industry apart from the rest.

Today, the Michigan Pomesters board consists of the following individuals: Dan Zemaitis, Adam Dietrich, RJ Simons, Nick Rasch, Kyle Rasch, and Angela Sommers.