Yockey elected Chair of US Apple Export Council
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gretchen Mensing
(800) 456-2753
DeWitt, Mich. – Denise Yockey, Executive Director of the Michigan Apple Committee, has been elected to a one-year term as Chair of the US Apple Export Council, headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Yockey, who had just completed a year as the export council's Vice Chair, will help guide the council's export interests on behalf of 10 major apple-producing states that are marketing apples around the globe. The US Apple Export Council uses federal Market Access Program and other funds to contract specialists to develop markets in target countries around the world. Michigan apple marketers are particularly active selling to Mexico and Latin America, and, to lesser extent, the United Kingdom.
Vice Chair is Jim Allen, Director of the New York Apple Association; and Treasurer is Karen Tananis, of the Pennsylvania Apple Marketing Program.
“It's an important time for the Export Council as we move out from under the umbrella of our founding organization, US Apple Association,” Yockey said. “As a group of Eastern states plus California we want to be competitive in securing federal support to help us compete fairly abroad. Selling more apples internationally keeps apple growers in the U.S. more profitable.”
The Michigan Apple Committee is a grower-funded nonprofit organization devoted to promotion, education and research activities to distinguish the Michigan apple and encourage its consumption by consumers in Michigan and around the world. For more information, visit www.MichiganApples.com.