The Fruit Growers News

More than 15 growers and cherry industry representatives took time to write letters of support for Phil Korson, who will be honored as Cherry Man of the Year at this year’s Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Mich.

Korson, president and managing director of the Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI), was selected by the festival’s promotion committee, according to Judy LaCross, director of cherry promotion for the Cherry Festival and a cherry grower in Northwest Michigan.

“Phil is just a friend to the cherry industry. He’s genuinely a nice person who cares about people. It’s more than a job for Phil,” said LaCross.

Along with CMI, Korson is the executive director of the Michigan Cherry Committee and the Michigan Association of Cherry Producers. He has also been instrumental in planning the strategic direction of the industry through the Tart Cherry Industry Planning Council and he is a member of the National Cherry Growers and Industries Foundation, a promotion organization for sweet cherries that recently contracted with CMI.

He worked hard for four years with other cherry industry leaders to execute a plan to get approval for a new Federal Marketing Order for cherries. “It took a lot of work. It is very necessary for us to do our own business more expediently. It helps to even out the bumps in the markets of cherries,” LaCross said.

“He has dedicated his life to the cherry industry. He’s gone far beyond the call of duty,” said Don Gregory, a cherry grower from Northwest Michigan who has known Korson since he was in high school. Gregory gives a lot of credit to Korson for the founding of CMI and working with growers on the marketing order. Gregory said that Korson is nationally known throughout the fruit industry.

“He’s also been one of the main spokespeople for minor crops and he’s taken a lead on pesticides,” Gregory said. Korson is a key player in the Minor Crop Farmer Alliance, a national organization of commodity groups that focuses on minor crop pesticide problems. In 1997 he was appointed to the national IR-4 Commodity Liaison Committee, which works to re-register materials for minor crops. He served as the first chairman of Project GREEEN which brings together plant commodity groups to work with Michigan State University (MSU) to identify critical needs for the future of Michigan plant agriculture.

Korson served on the Michigan IPM Alliance, the Statewide Pesticide Advisory Council and the IR-4 Commodity Liaison Committee as well as the Michigan Food Bank Council. He has been active in the Webberville (Mich.) Lions Club and currently serves on Senator Spencer Abraham’s Agriculture Committee and the Williamston Township Agriculture Committee.

Korson, an MSU graduate, began his agriculture career as a cherry grower. In 1978 he became a field man for the Michigan Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Association (MACMA) in Northwest Michigan. Later he worked with asparagus, plum and apple growers in Westcentral and Northwest Michigan. In 1986 he became assistant manager of the cherry, asparagus and plum programs for MACMA.

Last year Korson received the Distinguished Service Award from the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. He was also honored with an award for distinguished service to the Michigan fruit industry by the Michigan State Horticulture Society in December 1997 and an award for distinguished service to the cherry industry presented by the Leelanau County Horticulture Society in 1997.

Korson grew up in Lake Leelanau and currently lives on a farm in Haslett, Mich. with his wife, Kathy and their four children – Jay, Josh, Beth and Joel. Their farm, Clearview Orchards, specializes in u-pick apples, peaches, pumpkins and other fall crops.

“Phil exemplifies what we like to see in someone in his position. But he also has people skills and his appreciation of family life just stands out,” Gregory said.



		CMI’s Phil Korson is Named ‘Cherry Man of the Year’ By Karen Gentry Associate Editor More than 15 growers and cherry industry representatives took time to write letters of support for Phil Korson, who will be honored as Cherry Man of the Year at this year’s Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Mich. Korson, president and managing director of the Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI), was selected by the festival’s promotion committee, according to Judy LaCross, director of cherry promotion for the Cherry Festival and a cherry grower in Northwest Michigan. “Phil is just a friend to the cherry industry. He’s genuinely a nice person who cares about people. It’s more than a job for Phil,” said LaCross. Along with CMI, Korson is the executive director of the Michigan Cherry Committee and the Michigan Association of Cherry Producers. He has also been instrumental in planning the strategic direction of the industry through the Tart Cherry Industry Planning Council and he is a member of the National Cherry Growers and Industries Foundation, a promotion organization for sweet cherries that recently contracted with CMI. He worked hard for four years with other cherry industry leaders to execute a plan to get approval for a new Federal Marketing Order for cherries. “It took a lot of work. It is very necessary for us to do our own business more expediently. It helps to even out the bumps in the markets of cherries,” LaCross said. “He has dedicated his life to the cherry industry. He’s gone far beyond the call of duty,” said Don Gregory, a cherry grower from Northwest Michigan who has known Korson since he was in high school. Gregory gives a lot of credit to Korson for the founding of CMI and working with growers on the marketing order. Gregory said that Korson is nationally known throughout the fruit industry. “He’s also been one of the main spokespeople for minor crops and he’s taken a lead on pesticides,” Gregory said. Korson is a key player in the Minor Crop Farmer Alliance, a national organization of commodity groups that focuses on minor crop pesticide problems. In 1997 he was appointed to the national IR-4 Commodity Liaison Committee, which works to re-register materials for minor crops. He served as the first chairman of Project GREEEN which brings together plant commodity groups to work with Michigan State University (MSU) to identify critical needs for the future of Michigan plant agriculture. Korson served on the Michigan IPM Alliance, the Statewide Pesticide Advisory Council and the IR-4 Commodity Liaison Committee as well as the Michigan Food Bank Council. He has been active in the Webberville (Mich.) Lions Club and currently serves on Senator Spencer Abraham’s Agriculture Committee and the Williamston Township Agriculture Committee. Korson, an MSU graduate, began his agriculture career as a cherry grower. In 1978 he became a field man for the Michigan Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Association (MACMA) in Northwest Michigan. Later he worked with asparagus, plum and apple growers in Westcentral and Northwest Michigan. In 1986 he became assistant manager of the cherry, asparagus and plum programs for MACMA. Last year Korson received the Distinguished Service Award from the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. He was also honored with an award for distinguished service to the Michigan fruit industry by the Michigan State Horticulture Society in December 1997 and an award for distinguished service to the cherry industry presented by the Leelanau County Horticulture Society in 1997. Korson grew up in Lake Leelanau and currently lives on a farm in Haslett, Mich. with his wife, Kathy and their four children – Jay, Josh, Beth and Joel. Their farm, Clearview Orchards, specializes in u-pick apples, peaches, pumpkins and other fall crops. “Phil exemplifies what we like to see in someone in his position. But he also has people skills and his appreciation of family life just stands out,” Gregory said.












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