The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission is a quasi-governmental, grower-assessment-funded commission that funds and coordinates competitive tree fruit research in Washington State across crop protection, horticulture, postharvest, genetics, and orchard technology, serving apple, cherry, and pear growers through grants, a public research database, and annual research reviews.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersWenatchee, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission does
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission (WTFRC) is a quasi-governmental industry commission established in 1968 under Washington State law and headquartered in Wenatchee, Washington. It serves the Pacific Northwest tree fruit industry—primarily apple, cherry, pear, and stone fruit growers in Washington state—by funding and coordinating competitively proposed research across crop protection, postharvest fruit quality, horticulture, genetics, and production technology. WTFRC operates through a structured proposal and review process and maintains a publicly searchable Research Database of final reports on projects completed since 2011.
WTFRC's core offerings include the Research Database of funded project reports, an ongoing Pesticide Residue Studies program (annual MRL data on apple and cherry since 2011), Pear Research Reports funded on behalf of the Fresh and Processed Pear Committees, and five annual research review events covering cherries/stone fruit, apples (crop protection; horticulture & postharvest), pears, and technology. The Technology Research Review addresses orchard automation, precision sprayers, sensor platforms, non-destructive fruit quality sensors, and robotic end effectors. The commission also maintains a WSU Tree Fruit Endowment and disseminates findings through Good Fruit Grower and direct proposal-process communications.
WTFRC is funded through industry assessments on tree fruit production rather than commercial sales, and is governed by commissioners representing different industry segments. It partners primarily with Washington State University, secondarily with Oregon State University, the Fresh and Processed Pear Committees, and Good Fruit Grower. The organization earned a 2018 50th-anniversary milestone and operates as a stable, institutionally-backed research funding and coordination body rather than a product or service vendor.
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission
- Legal name
- Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission
- Website
- https://treefruitresearch.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission is a quasi-governmental, grower-assessment-funded commission that funds and coordinates competitive tree fruit research in Washington State across crop protection, horticulture, postharvest, genetics, and orchard technology, serving apple, cherry, and pear growers through grants, a public research database, and annual research reviews.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Research Commission
- NAICS
- Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (926140)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pesticide Residue & Agrochemical Screening Services (Soil/Plant/Water) (AFACAKAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sanitary & Phytosanitary (SPS) & Food Safety Regulatory Cooperation (BPADANAF)
Keywords
Where The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wenatchee
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Industry-Funded Research: WTFRC is funded through assessments/fees collected from the tree fruit industry (apple, cherry, and pear growers in Washington state). The commission uses these funds to sponsor competitive research proposals through a grant process.
- Technology Transfer: Research findings are shared with growers through the research database, annual reviews, and presentations. The commission facilitates technology transfer from academic researchers to industry practitioners.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WTFRC is a quasi-governmental research commission that funds and coordinates agricultural research for the Washington tree fruit industry. It collects industry assessments from apple, cherry, and pear growers and allocates those funds through a structured competitive proposal process to academic researchers at WSU, OSU, and other institutions. The commission operates a public searchable Research Database, annual Pesticide Residue Studies, Pear Research Reports, and five annual research review events covering crop protection, postharvest, horticulture, genetics, and orchard technology.
Product overview
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission (WTFRC) operates as a research funding and coordination organization for the Washington tree fruit industry, not a traditional product company. Its core offerings include the Research Database (a searchable repository of research reports), Pesticide Residue Studies program (generating MRL data for apples and cherries since 2011), Pear Research Reports covering crop protection/horticulture/genetics, and Technology Research Reviews covering automation and precision agriculture. The organization funds and coordinates research across apples, cherries, pears, and stone fruit through a structured proposal process and annual research reviews.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pear Research Reports Comprehensive research reporting system on behalf of the Pacific Northwest pear industry, covering crop protection, postharvest/fruit quality, horticulture, and genetics, as well as WTFRC technology projects with significant application for pear production. Funded by the Fresh and Processed Pear Committees.
- Pesticide Residue Studies Studies conducted since 2011 in apple and cherry to generate residue data for commonly used pesticides, helping Washington growers make more informed choices about their spray programs. WTFRC Internal Program recently completed its 2025 study.
- Research Database Searchable online database of final reports for research projects funded by WTFRC on apple, cherry, stone fruit, and tree fruit technology, accessible through advanced search options including keywords, date ranges, and author filtering. Reports for projects completed since 2011 are publicly accessible.
- Technology Research Review Annual review program covering technology research projects including automated harvesting, precision sprayers, sensor platforms, non-destructive fruit quality sensors, and robotic end effectors for picking and pruning in tree fruit production.
Quantifiable outcome
- Pesticide residue studies conducted annually since 2011 covering apple and cherry
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Good Fruit GrowercoreGood Fruit Grower, an industry publication, partnered with WTFRC during its 50th anniversary to highlight areas of research that had significant impact on the tree fruit industry over the years. Good Fruit Grower published a series of articles covering research milestones.
- Fresh and Processed Pear CommitteescoreThese industry committees fund pear research on behalf of the Pacific Northwest pear industry, supporting WTFRC technology projects with significant application for pear production.
- Washington State UniversitycoreWSU researchers are frequent recipients of WTFRC funding. The commission maintains a WSU Tree Fruit Endowment and WSU researchers conduct much of the commissioned research.
- Oregon State UniversityminorOSU researchers participate in WTFRC-funded research projects, particularly those addressing pest management strategic planning for pears in Oregon and Washington.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Oregon Hazelnut Industry Office: Pacific Northwest tree-nut industry organization conducting marketing and supporting research. Shares WTFRC's regional scope, grower-funded model, and focus on orchard-crop research priorities.
- Northwest Horticultural Council: Pacific Northwest trade association representing tree fruit growers on regulatory, trade, and research issues. Adjacent peer focused on industry advocacy and research coordination for the same crops WTFRC serves.
- Washington State Wine Commission: State-level industry-funded commission serving Washington grape and wine producers with research funding and marketing. Closely mirrors WTFRC's structure: quasi-governmental, grower assessment-funded, focused on agricultural research for a specific Washington commodity.
- California Strawberry Commission: California state-level commission funding strawberry research and marketing with grower assessments. Closely parallels WTFRC's structure as a grower-funded research and promotion commission for a single specialty crop.
- Michigan Tree Fruit Commission: Michigan-based industry commission funding apple and other tree fruit research. Mirrors WTFRC's mandate of grower-assessment-funded research coordination for a regional tree fruit industry, though in a different geography.
Broad incumbents
- USDA Agricultural Research Service: Federal U.S. agency conducting agricultural research including tree fruit programs. A larger incumbent operating in the same scientific domain (crop protection, horticulture, postharvest) but with federal-scale funding and national scope.
- Washington State Department of Agriculture: State agency with regulatory, marketing, and policy authority over Washington agriculture including tree fruit. The broader state-level government counterpart to WTFRC's commodity-specific commission role.
- WSU Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center: Washington State University's dedicated tree fruit research and extension facility in Wenatchee. Core WTFRC research partner that conducts much of the commissioned science; comparable in mission (tree fruit research) but academic rather than commission-based.
Regional players
- British Columbia Fruit Growers' Association: Canadian regional industry association representing BC tree fruit growers with research and policy functions. Operates in an adjacent tree fruit geography with comparable grower-funded research coordination mandate.
Others
- Good Fruit Grower: Industry publication that partnered with WTFRC for the 50th anniversary coverage. Functions as a research dissemination channel for the tree fruit industry rather than a research funder — an ecosystem enabler.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission
What does The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission do?
WTFRC is a quasi-governmental research commission that funds and coordinates agricultural research for the Washington tree fruit industry. It collects industry assessments from apple, cherry, and pear growers and allocates those funds through a structured competitive proposal process to academic researchers at WSU, OSU, and other institutions. The commission operates a public searchable Research Database, annual Pesticide Residue Studies, Pear Research Reports, and five annual research review events covering crop protection, postharvest, horticulture, genetics, and orchard technology.
Is The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission a public or private company?
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission founded?
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission was founded in 1968. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission based?
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission is headquartered in Wenatchee, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Industry-Funded Research is the primary driver. The others are technology Transfer.
Who are The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Oregon Hazelnut Industry Office, Northwest Horticultural Council, Washington State Wine Commission, California Strawberry Commission and Michigan Tree Fruit Commission. Broad incumbents are USDA Agricultural Research Service, Washington State Department of Agriculture and WSU Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center. British Columbia Fruit Growers' Association is listed as a regional player. Good Fruit Grower is listed as an others.
Does The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission.
What industry is The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission in?
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission's product category is Agricultural Research Commission. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFACAKAF, Pesticide Residue & Agrochemical Screening Services (Soil/Plant/Water), with a secondary code of BPADANAF, Sanitary & Phytosanitary (SPS) & Food Safety Regulatory Cooperation. Its NAICS code is 926140 and its SIC code is 8600.