YAKIMA, WA - The last week of May marked the 2024 annual general meeting for the Associated International Group of Nurseries (AIGN®). The 12 members of the organization gathered in France for a week-long agenda themed, “Moving ahead during difficult times.” The event served as a catalyst for critical discussions on how the 36-year-strong organization can further evolve while navigating industry challenges.

“The consequences of climate change on fruit growing are just beginning to unfold,” stated Gavin Porter, Chief Executive Officer. “AIGN recognizes the urgency to help orchardists address these challenges by seeking out and supporting the development of new rootstocks and fruit varieties with greater tolerance to warmer growing areas and being prepared to commercialize them when the tide of the economic downturn changes.”

Along with several pre-meeting activities and events in Paris, arranged by host company Star Fruits, the event featured an educational segment for the directors with a day devoted to a site visit to SICASOV, where AIGN®’s members learned about their work with Global Gap, and how they ensure fruits are legal from an IP perspective. This insightful segment was followed by a presentation from representatives of Naktuinbouw, the high health facility in the Netherlands and their affiliated organizations. In recent years, AIGN® has come to rely on Naktuinbouw to clean and certify plant materials due to their efficiency and exceptional communication practices, a press release explained.

The next meeting will be held in spring 2025 in Santiago, Chile, hosted by AIGN member Viveros Requinoa, LTDA. To read more about the recent meeting, click here.

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