apples
cherries
pears
lil snappers
Summer Season
Apples
Grown For The Taste Buds Of Today And Tomorrow
Cherries
Hand-Picked Cherries that Earn their Fame One Bite at a Time
Pears
Where Pear Country Brings the Juiciest Bites
Lil Snappers®
Apples and pears in the right flavors and size for kids
Colorful wildflowers bloom along an orchard under a clear blue sky.

Sustainability

Environmental Stewardship And Social Responsibility Since 1989

Farmer inspecting soil on sustainable farm with machinery in background.

Watch to Learn More About Stemilt World Famous Compost

The Stemilt Difference

A Legacy Of Stewardship Meets Innovation For The Future

We combine decades of responsible farming with forward-thinking innovation to create a more sustainable future. By transforming organic materials into nutrient-rich compost, we enrich the soil, reduce waste, and support healthier ecosystems. Our commitment is simple: care for the land today to grow a better tomorrow.

Responsibly sourced fish and produce symbol with Responsible Choice logo.
Close-up of a ladybug on a white background, highlighting its red and black spots.
Responsibly sourced fish and produce symbol with Responsible Choice logo.
Farmer with bird of prey, hands holding berries, colorful flowers in nature.

Integrated Pest Management

At Stemilt, we bring Integrated Pest Management (IPM) into the orchard opting for natural methods first when it comes to deterring unwanted pests. We carefully monitor our orchards, and if needed, will release beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewing larvae, or helpful birds like falcons. If natural defenses don’t do the trick, we’ll apply targeted treatments only when necessary.

Integrated Pest Methods:

  • Releasing Ladybugs
  • Providing Kestrel Houses
  • Using Falconry to Deter Other Birds

Bee Friendly Farming

Stemilt is Bee Friendly Farming certified by Pollinator Partnership. This means we offer nutrition and habitats for bees, including 140 acres of native wildflowers around our orchards, to support pollinators.

Images of cherry harvesting, bamboo, and a river emphasizing sustainability.

Precision Irrigation

We use tools, like moisture probes, so we can water our trees just the right amount to conserve this vital resource.

Quality H2O

We take extra care of keeping local streams and rivers clean by managing water as it flows through our orchards and protecting riverbanks. This supports salmon habitats near our orchards by preventing erosion, filtering runoff, and maintaining cool, clean water.

Production Water

Our apple production lines use a water reuse system that recirculates water up to three times across multiple stages of the process, significantly reducing overall water consumption and supporting our commitment to sustainable resource management.

Soil preparation in an orchard for sustainable fruit farming with trees in the background.

Compost

We return nutrients to the soil by using compost, which helps build healthy, living ground for our orchards, and planting cover crops. These practices also store carbon in the ground, contributing to climate-friendly farming.

Caring for People, Growing with Purpose

Farmers harvesting apples in an orchard with modern equipment and safety gear.

Ethical Labor

Questions? Comments? Tell us more with the forms below. If you have a product inquiry, please include what it is, when and where you purchased it. Each department will respond as quickly as possible!
Sign for Stemilt Family Clinic with arrow pointing left in a healthcare setting.

Onsite Health Clinic & Pharmacy

Our free on-site health clinic and pharmacy provides accessible care to all Stemilters and their families, helping workers stay healthy while saving time and money on everyday medical needs.
Group of five people holding a large check at Stemilt for sustainability donation.

Scholarships

We support the next generation of agriculture by donating to college scholarship programs that help students in our communities pursue higher education.
Group of students and teachers with backpacks at STEM event for sustainability awareness.

Donations

We give back to our communities through donations that support local needs like providing warm clothes to families and supporting children going back to school.
Youth baseball team with coaches on a field, wearing blue uniforms and caps.

Sponsorships

We’re proud to sponsor local youth sports, events, and programs that bring our communities together. This includes the title sponsorship of the Stemilt Grand Parade at the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival, a beloved tradition we’ve supported for over 20 years.
People dancing and socializing at an indoor event with a large crowd.

Employee Engagement

Celebrating employees and their accomplishments is so important.

Working Toward Zero Waste

Farm landscape with cows grazing and a composting area in the background.

Compost

We’ve been composting at a commercial scale for over 20 years. Our 23-acre facility processes about 40,000 tons of organic material each year, much of which would otherwise go to waste. From that, we create 16,000 tons of compost that nourishes our orchards. The Stemilt Organic Recycling Facility is open to the Wenatchee public for yard waste drop-off and also receives curbside yard waste from two counties.

 

Cattle Feed

Any leftover fruit that isn’t fit for people is sent to nearby cattle feedlots, where it’s used as nutritious feed instead of going to waste.

Eco-friendly apple packaging with recycling symbol for sustainability.

Packaging Solutions

Our EZ Band is a fiber-based solution that replaces plastic clamshells while keeping fruit secure and visible.

We offer a #4 plastic bag that can be recycled via store drop-off in many locations, and we include How2Recycle® labels to help shoppers know what to do.

We also make sure our paper and pulp packaging comes from responsibly managed forests, using materials certified by SFI or FSC.

Recycling and waste management at Stemilt for sustainability.

Materials Recycling at Facilities

We recycle an average of 72,500 tons of material each year, including paper, cardboard, plastics, and metals.

Through our partnership with Keyes Packaging, we recycle over 2 million pounds of cardboard each year into upcycled fruit trays, creating a local, circular system that gives the packaging a second life.

Sustainable FAQs

Yes. Taking care of the land is part of how we grow fruit. We use practices like composting, cover crops, and natural pest control to keep our orchards healthy for the long term, not just this season.

Sometimes, but only when needed. We start with natural methods like beneficial insects and careful monitoring. When necessary, we use targeted treatments to protect the fruit while minimizing impact. We grow both organic and conventional fruit, and our organic growing methods avoid most synthetic pesticides, relying primarily on natural or approved pest management tools.

A lot, because we depend on them as pollinators. We plant wildflowers around our orchards, provide habitat and water, and follow Bee Friendly Farming® practices to support pollinators.

We use tools to give trees exactly the water they need: no more, no less. We also reuse water in our packing houses to reduce overall use.

Healthy soil is a big part of it. By adding compost and planting cover crops, we improve soil health and store carbon in the ground, which helps make farming more climate-friendly and makes orchards more resilient over time.

We’re always working to reduce our packaging impact. While retailers often choose final packaging formats, we offer more sustainable options, including recyclable, paper-based designs like our EZ Band. Our aim is to balance protecting fruit, reducing waste, and using materials more responsibly.

We participate in programs like the Equitable Food Initiative (EFI), which focuses on fair working conditions, food safety, and continuous improvement on our farms. We also work with CIERTO to ensure ethical recruitment of our H2A guest workers from Mexico. Along with benefits like onsite healthcare and a focus on safe workplaces, these efforts help ensure our team members and their families can thrive.

Farmer holding soil sample in a lush farm field at sunset.

Legacy

We do business the way our founder intended. He used to say, “we’re only caretakers of the land for a short amount of time, so we must work to leave it as good as we can, or better if we can.”

– Tom Mathison

Commitment

We added the ladybug to Stemilt’s logo in 1989, the year we began integrated pest management and farming organically. It symbolizes our commitment to our environmental stewardship, and the value of this insect to orchardists.

Our founder Tom Mathison rooted in sustainable practices before it was a buzzword.

Climate & Clean Energy

ProjectGaton logo with globe and recycling icons, emphasizing sustainability and environmental focus.

Efficiency & Innovation In Action

We’re investing in energy efficiency and electrification projects across our operations to lower emissions and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. 80% of our forklifts are now electric.

Hydropower dam and solar panels showcasing renewable energy sources for sustainability.

Hydropower & Solar

Stemilt fruit grown in Washington is packed at facilities powered by 100% renewable electricity, thanks to local hydropower and our participation in Chelan County’s Sustainable Natural Alternative Power (SNAP) Program.

We’re also expanding our on-site solar, with approximately 3,000 new panels across four acres at our California cherry packing facility in Stockton, CA.

Apple orchard and greenhouse with lush green crops for sustainable farming.

Building Resilience

Did you know apples get sunburned, too? Apples can get sunburned from extreme heat, not just sunlight. Sunburn is a leading cause of apple damage that keeps fruit from reaching the market.

We’re adapting to climate affects such as extreme heat with tools like shade cloth and overhead cooling to protect our fruit.

We’re also taking care of our team by adjusting schedules and making sure everyone stays safe during hot weather and smoke events.

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