WASHINGTON TREE FRUIT RESEARCH COMMISSION

"We actually decided to start an apple-breeding program in the mid-90s because the growers wanted to have an apple that was better adapted for our growing climate," said Hanrahan. "The Tree Fruit Research Commission funded this breeding program for 20 years, and the apple was released in 2019 and is such a success. Basically, we provided 20 years of startup funding, and now, they're on their own, and everybody profits from it."

The apple, nicknamed "the Apple of Big Dreams," has been a huge success, cracking the top 10 apples in the United States (ranked by sales value and volume) less than five years after being commercially introduced. Positive reviews of the apple note that it has an extremely long storage life, and it keeps its sweet flavor for up to a year in the refrigerator.

The commission does much more than just inventing new varieties of apple. Some of the research that they do includes developing a spray-free mating disruption technique that limits the effect of the invasive codling moth in organic apples, implementing new thinning methods to improve the quality of the fruit, and research with MCP (1-methylcyclopropene), an ethylene-blocking agent that may extend the storage life of stored fruits. Hanrahan thinks the commission would be a great landing place for any aspiring young scientists.

"This is a place where you can send your kids where they will have a good future," she said. "Sign them up for ag degrees, sign them up for engineering degrees and roboticists. It's a great way to bring together all different sciences."