MILWAUKIE, OREGON — The Pear Bureau Northwest (PBNW) is receiving $1.54 million from the second part of the Agricultural Trade Program (ATP) to help promote pears grown in Washington and Oregon.

“Between the two allocations, the organization has received a total of $2.1 million in funding to be used for promotional activities to offset the impacts that the northwest pear industry has faced due to recent retaliatory tariffs in China,” stated a press release on Tuesday, Aug. 13. “With the funding, PBNW will be targeting top export markets for the next two seasons.”

The Pear Bureau Northwest will be promoting northwest-grown pears in Canada, India, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates.

“It will also allow for funding to relaunch a promotional campaign in China, should the tariffs be removed within the next three seasons,” reads the press release. “The promotions and activities will bolster current programs in the export markets and generate additional exposure for pears in each market.”

The promotions will be working with social media influencers, infomercials and TV advertising.

“A variety of activities will be conducted in the various markets,” stated the press release. “In Mexico, PBNW will spend two seasons working with social media influencers and partnering with Pictoline to develop USA Pears-themed infographics to enhance social media engagement with extended reach into Central and South America. This will be supplemented by two years of TV advertorials on the Discovery Home and Health channel. All of these activities will boost the effectiveness of the current consumer outreach activities in Mexico.”

In Canada, social media will be the main avenue for advertising. The India strategy will include “billboard and advertising campaign supported by a celebrity spokesperson for one year.” The goal is to “raise the profile of USA Pears as the premium pear offering in the Indian market.”

“In the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the next two seasons, PBNW will feature eight TV advertorials each season to run on ‘Al Moultaqa,’ a show that reaches over eight million viewers,” said the press release. “The advertorials will be a mix of recipe demonstrations, health and nutritional benefit discussions, and ripening education.”

The Pear Bureau Northwest was established in 1931 with the purpose of promoting Washington and Oregon-grown pears. They represent around 900 growers and their families.