California Was Built on Apples. Now Farmers Fear They’re Losing Them

California Was Built on Apples. Now Farmers Fear They’re Losing Them

With long-time contracts disappearing, California apple growers fear they’re losing a piece of the state’s agricultural heritage and diversity.Credit: Photo by Jake MannKey TakeawaysCalifornia apple growers face an uncertain future as processors leave, costs rise, and longtime contracts disappear.Watsonville farmers are replacing apple orchards with more profitable berry crops as production costs continue to climb.Growers warn that losing Califo…

New apple processing facility targets Watsonville fruit

New apple processing facility targets Watsonville fruit

Apple Surprise: New Hope for Pajaro Valley Apple Growers - Edible Monterey Bay

July 14, 2026—The press is on. It’s on for Watsonville apple growers, given the news S. Martinelli & Co. is discontinuing contracts with regional growers who sold them vast quantities of Pajaro Valley fruit for decades. “We’ve grown up together,” says Jake Mann of Five Mile Orchards (formerly Mann Orchards), a fifth generation Pajaro Valley ...