Armada — The forecast of a fourth straight lavish apple harvest in Michigan would normally put farmers in a celebratory mood.

But don’t serve the apple strudel just yet.

A Michigan farmers group is barking about a prediction by the U.S. Apple Association that the state will produce 30 million bushels of apples this year.

The Michigan Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Association argued the estimate is too high and its concern involves more than an academic discourse of horticulture.

Dawn Drake, association general manager, told the Michigan Farm News earlier this month that the rosy prognosis could hurt her members in the pocketbook. Growers will receive less money from processors who believe the harvest will be plentiful, she said.

That’s what happened last year when U.S. Apple pro

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