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nafex - Re: [nafex] complaints about taxpayer funded "club" varieties

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  • From: Melissa Kacalanos <mijwiz@yahoo.com>
  • To: nafex mailing list at ibiblio <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [nafex] complaints about taxpayer funded "club" varieties
  • Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2014 16:06:27 -0400

It was my understanding that the club varieties are about protecting the
brand name recognition of certain apple varieties. To qualify as a member of
the club, apple farmers don't just pay a licensing fee, but commit to selling
fruit only of a high enough quality to keep the public convinced that apples
of that variety are worth their premium price. The farmers have to meet some
standards of thinning, picking only when actually ripe, proper storage, and
so on.

Since protecting the perception of their brand name is a major goal, I can
understand why breeders don't want just anyone selling apples by these
trademarked names. It only takes a few badly-grown apples for consumers to
lose faith in the superiority of these trademarked names. And I'm sure they
don't want any wormy backyard amateur apples sullying the good names of these
carefully megafarmed varieties.

But don't worry, I'm sure these varieties will become available to everyone
as soon as the breeders come up with the latest varieties to replace them
with.

Melissa



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