Apple picking season has arrived! The beginning of fall brings with it this fun tradition for many families across the country. While the East Coast may be commonly known for its abundance of apple orchards, there are also beautiful farms from the Midwest to the West Coast where a bushel can be picked. Standards support the success of these tasty fruits, from their beginnings on the farm to their destination on the plate (and hopefully in a pie).
Agricultural standards help farms produce bountiful and safe crops all year round, and the apple season is no exception. The right mower can contribute to orchard sanitation, recycling nutrients from orchard debris to support more successful crops. ANSI/ASABE AD4254-12:2012 JUL2016, Agricultural machinery - Safety - Part 12: Rotary disc and drum mowers and flail mowers, provides safety requirements and verification for the design of mowers used in apple orchards and other agricultural harvesting. This American National Standard (ANS) was developed by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), a member and accredited standards developer of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
SAE J 990-2014, Nomenclature--Industrial and Agricultural Mowers, also supports this vital farm equipment by naming many of the major components and parts for agricultural and industrial rotary, flail, and sickle bar type mowers. This ANS was developed by SAE International, an ANSI member and accredited standards developer.
Many orchards turn their grounds into an afternoon destination for families, with hay rides, crafts, and seasonal snacks to accompany the apple-picking festivities. On the top of the menu are two fall favorites: apple cider and apple cider donuts. In addition to the obvious use of apples, these treats rely on the rich flavor of cinnamon. ISO 6539:2014, Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume) - Specification, is an international standard that provides requirements for whole or ground cinnamon, as well as recommendations relating to the storage and transport conditions of the beloved spice. This standard was developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) technical committee (TC) 34, Food products, subcommittee (SC) 7, Spices, culinary herbs, and condiments.
Once you get home with your big bag of apples, you may want to bring out your own supply of cinnamon and bake an apple pie. IEC 60335-2-6 Amd.1 Ed. 6.0 en:2018, Amendment 1 - Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety - Part 2-6: Particular requirements for stationary cooking ranges, hobs, ovens and similar appliances, is an international standard of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) to assure the safe functioning of the household oven needed to bake your apples into a sweet, golden pie. IEC's Technical Committee (TC) 61, Safety of household and similar electrical appliances developed this standard. Secretariat duties for TC 61 are performed by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), an ANSI member and audited designator. UL also serves as the U.S. National Committee (USNC) - approved U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) Administrator to TC 61, carrying U.S. positions forward to the committee.
Whether McIntosh, Red Delicious, or Honeycrisp are in your bushel, standards are there to assure safety, success, and fun for apple pickers this fall.