TASKS:	DATA COLLECTION/EVAL:
. DORMANT PRUNING	EFFICIENCY VS LADDER
. SUMMER PRUNING	. ECONOMICS
. LIMB TYING/POSITIONING	. WORKER ACCEPTANCE
. STRING TYING	. WORKER ACCEPTANCE
. PHERMONE PLACEMENT	. SAFETY ISSUES
. GREEN FRUIT THINNING	. MANAGEMENT ISSUES

. "BUY IN" FROM MANAGEMENT

. SUPERVISION

. CREW SIZE

. CREW DYNAMICS

. QUALITY CONTROL

. SAFETY

. EFFICIENCY GAINED IS HIGHEST IN TASKS THAT REQUIRE THE GREATEST NUMBER OF LADDER SETS

. DEGREE OF GAINED EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY IS TASK, ORCHARD SYSTEM AND MANAGEMENT DEPENDENT

. CREW SELECTION AND LEADERSHIP CRITICAL

. FATIGUE GREATEST AT END OF THE DAY

ASSUMTIONS

100 ACRE
FRUITING WALL SYSTEM, CONSISTENT LIMB AND FRUIT PLACEMENT
$11.00/HR., 4% RATE OF INFLATION
DISCOUNT RATE OF 10%
10 YEAR MACHINE LIFE
GAINED EFFICIENCIES	35% PRUNING AND TRAINING
	15% GREEN FRUIT THINNING

            

NENETY EIGHT (98%) PERCENT PREFERRED PLATFORM OVER LADDER

NOISE	below allowable level – radios
HEAT	sun exposure and engine
SAFETY	feel as safe or safer on platform NO L&I Claims
WATER	great to have readily available
RESTROOM	no issues
FATIGUE	repetitive motion issues

. PRUNING/TRAINING 55 HOURS TO 35 HOURS = $1685/AC 10 YEAR PERIOD

. GREEN FRUIT THINNING 55 TO 45 = $887/AC 10 YEAR PERIOD

. TOTAL SAVINGS BEFORE MACHINE $2,572

. MACHINE COST (repairs/maint/fuel/depreciation and interest on machine investment)$81.80/AC 10 YEAR PERIOD

. NET RESULT – GROWER WILL HAVE INCREASE IN RETURNS $1,032/AC OVER 10 YEAR PERIOD AND AN INCREASE OF 2.4% ROI

. ITS ALL ABOUT LABOR COSTS!!

. HOW CAN I AFFORD TO BUY A MACHINE?

. LABOR (IN 2006 DOLLARS)

--$1453/ AC WITH LADDERS

--$1135/ AC WITH PLATFORM

--DIFFERENCE OF $318/AC

--PAID OUT OF YEAR 1 OPERATIONAL LOAN – OVER 100 ACRES, YOU CAN PAY$31,000 / MACHINE