The Business of Blueberries

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined once again by Luis Miguel Vegas, general manager of Proarándanos, the Peruvian Blueberry Growers & Exporter Association. Vegas leads the charge in representing and promoting Peru's blueberry sector globally and shares in our weekly crop reporting. In this episode, provides critical data and strategic insights from the Peruvian blueberry industry.

“The decision that we have made is to update our forecast on a monthly basis. … What we want is to inform the markets, to inform the industry as a whole, so that everybody's prepared, and we think the best way right now to do that is to go with a short-term forecast based on the variability that El Niño can affect our numbers.” – Luis Miguel Vegas

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Vegas and his work at Proarándanos.
A discussion of Peru’s blueberry production volume and where it’s exported globally.
The differences between El Niño in 2023 and the expected impact if a repeat event occurs.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Emilie Parkanzky in Michigan, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Luis Vegas in Peru and Sunny Brar in British Columbia. This was recorded on July 30, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Dana Concepcion, senior director of fresh and frozen at Walmart Connect. Concepcion sits at the intersection of fresh merchandising and modern digital advertising. In her role, she drives advertising growth across some of the company’s most strategic categories, partnering up with leading produce, meat, frozen and bread manufacturers to deliver data-driven, omnichannel marketing solutions. She joins the podcast to discuss aligning blueberry campaigns to seasonal supply fluctuations, leveraging co-branded recipe campaigns and measuring incremental growth.

“ What makes our relationship so unique is that there's a real shared goal that we all have. It's a 360 collaboration between our team at Walmart Connect, the merchant and buyer teams at Walmart, the blueberry council, the growers, everyone all together, and the shared goal there is really growing overall blueberry consumption.” – Dana Concepcion

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Concepcion and her role with Walmart Connect.
How Walmart Connect uses real-time shopper and purchase data across omni-channel ad formats.
Opportunities to align blueberry campaigns to seasonal supply fluctuations, leveraging co-branded recipe campaigns.
How Walmart measures incremental growth through sales lift, new-to-category buyers and repeat purchases.
How Walmart uses in-store tactics like deli/bakery screens and product demos to drive impulse buying.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from TJ Hafner in Oregon, Emilie Parkanzky in Michigan and Alan Schreiber in Washington. This was recorded on July 23, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” we welcome guest host Steve Mantle, founder and CEO of Innov8.ag and USHBC’s partner in the BerrySmart Field program, who’s joined by Tim Bucher, CEO and founder of Agtonomy. Together, they discuss how autonomy and physical AI are reshaping farm work in specialty crops, including blueberries. Bucher discusses how he brings together his background in farming and technology to provide innovation that is helping farmers economically implement autonomy on their farms.

“ As a farmer, I don't want a startup company to sell me equipment. I want my trusted brands. And so we designed Agtonomy as a software platform to work with global tier-one equipment manufacturers to help turn their equipment into real autonomous robots.” – Tim Bucher

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Bucher.
The ideas that led to the creation of Agtonomy, and why their partnership model is making this technology more accessible for growers.
A case study of how Okanogan Specialty Fruits is using Agtonomy in their Washington orchards.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Emilie Parkanzky in Michigan, Alan Schreiber in Washington, T.J. Hafner in Oregon, Alec Arena in New Jersey, Sonny Brar in British Columbia and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on July 16, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by first-time guest and Blueberry Leadership Program class four fellow Fletcher Simmons. Simmons is a fourth-generation farmer from Archer, Florida. He’s currently the operations manager at Straughn Farms, one of the largest growers in the state. Over the past five years, he has helped the team at Straughn Farms adapt to the ever-evolving blueberry industry through innovations in the field and the packing house. He joins us to share his journey in the blueberry industry, the reason he joined the Blueberry Leadership Program and how he has overcome recent challenges in his operation.

“ I have always wanted to have a greater impact on our nation. So, what better way to do that than to get with marketers and other growers and all the players in our industry, and let's all work together to build this thing up and keep it going in the right direction for generations to come.” – Fletcher Simmons

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Simmons.
How Simmons learned about the Blueberry Leadership Program and what he hopes to achieve by participating in it.
The challenges faced by growers in the southeast when a severe freeze hit their crop this year.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Ryan Rainey in Michigan, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alec Arena in New Jersey, Michelle Borges in California, Kristen Brinkley in North Carolina, Sonny Brar in British Columbia, Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on July 2, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Denny Vander Kooi, a third-generation blueberry grower from Allegan, Michigan, who’s currently serving as Michigan’s representative on the USHBC Council.Beyond the farm, Vander Kooi has become an important voice around grower involvement, serving on USHBC’s Industry Engagement Committee and helping connect growers more directly to the work being done on behalf of the category. Vander Kooi shares his valuable perspective on where the blueberry industry is headed and the opportunities he sees ahead.

“I think a lot of growers, when they're selling to a marketer, they're thinking that marketer is the customer. And what really comes home when we're at the USHBC meetings is that our customer is the mother and the kids and the parents that are eating the blueberries at home. Our customer is the end user, and I don't think we always think of it that way and have thought about that in the past. … We need to increase the demand and increase the ability for the end consumers to enjoy blueberries more, and we need to do that advertising. And I see USHBC is really the only fair way that everybody participates in that. ” - Denny Vander Kooi

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Vander Kooi and his volunteer roles with the USHBC.
The opportunities he sees for the blueberry industry, and how producers can optimize household consumption.
The extent of grower oversight when it comes to USHBC budgets and expenditures.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. TJ Hafner in Oregon, Michelle Borges in California, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Alec Arena in New Jersey, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Kristin Brinkley in North Carolina, Ryan Rainey in Michigan, Pat Goin in Indiana, Mario Ramirez in Mexico, Luis Vegas in Peru and Sunny Brar in British Columbia. This was recorded on June 25, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council, is joined by Tammy Brannen, owner of Creekside Berry Farms in Georgia. Brannen spent more than 20 years as a registered nurse before returning to her family’s agricultural roots. Today, she combines that clinical expertise with her farming background, chairing the USHBC’s Health and Research Advisory Board, as well as representing Georgia on the USHBC board. She joins the show to talk about advancing the blueberry health halo and her experience as a Georgia grower.

“ I felt kind of called toward the health research piece of it due to being in nursing and seeing how important it is to get the right foods and to intake the right foods. I knew for years that blueberries were a good source of nutrition. It's actually been amazing to see how beneficial it is, blueberry consumption, and actually what it does to help with brain function and gut function and all the things.” – Tammy Brannen

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Brannen and her experiences as a Georgia grower and former nurse.
A discussion of Brannen’s journey into USHBC leadership.
The process for selecting USHBC’s health research projects and how the research helps advance the blueberry health halo.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Alan Schreiber in Washington, Michelle Borges in California, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Pat Goin in Indiana, Ryan Rainey in Michigan, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Kristin Brinkley in North Carolina, Sonny Brar in British Columbia, Alec Arena in New Jersey and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on June 18, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Haiying Zhang, USHBC’s director of global business development. Zhang has spent the last several years helping position U.S. blueberries for growth far beyond our domestic market by building relationships and helping exporters better understand where global demand is expanding. Zhang shares what she’s seeing firsthand in the global market, and where the greatest opportunities for growth lie.

“As a result, what you are seeing in these markets is a lot of media coverage about USA Blueberries. So we successfully generate the buzz about our product. That's our goal. And in many of these markets, if you look at the product life cycle, we are still at the introductory stage … meaning we have a long runway to go. And so it's very important that we build, reach new customers and we also inspire existing customers to increase their purchasing frequency, and that's why we invest the dollars .” – Haiying Zhang

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Zhang and her work with USHBC.
The significance and impact of the USHBC recently earning a $1 million Foreign Agriculture Service Grant from the USDA.
Details on the USHBC Export Database and the USHBC Supplier Database that can help highlight blueberry operations during global market discussions.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Alan Schreiber in Washington, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alec Arena in New Jersey, Ryan Rainey in Michigan, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Pat Goin in Indiana, Sunny Brar in British Columbia and Kristen Brinkley in North Carolina. This was recorded on June 11, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Brandon Raso, Variety Farms farm and operations manager, and the recent recipient of the 2026 National Outstanding Young Farmer award. Raso is a fourth-generation grower at Variety Farms in Hammonton, New Jersey, where he manages over 750 acres of production. He also serves on the USHBC Council as treasurer, and is chair of the Finance Committee. Whether he’s advocating for growers in D.C. or implementing the latest mechanical harvesting tech at home, he’s at the forefront of the “next gen” movement.

“We obviously have a lot of runway left with reaching higher consumption levels and, so, I just think there's a lot of light at the end of the tunnel on this, and it's something we don't have to fight tooth and nail for. I think as long as we make the right moves and stay conscious about the decisions we're making, I think this thing is naturally going to catapult itself into a new category in terms of consumption, people realizing the benefits and reaching new audiences. It's like we're so fortunate to be part of this.” – Brandon Raso

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Raso and his work.
The history Raso represents as a fourth-generation grower.
The impact he’s having on the industry due to his involvement at the local and national levels.
Where he sees the most potential for growth in the industry.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Ryan Rainey in Michigan, Pat Goin in Indiana, Kristen Brinkley in North Carolina and Sunny Brar in British Columbia. This was recorded on May 28, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Counci (NABC)l, is joined by Brian Bocock, president and CEO of MBG Marketing. After more than three decades helping shape the berry business from the warehouse floor to executive leadership at Naturipe Farms, Bocock has stepped into a new role with MBG Marketing. He’s also a grower in Michigan who has held numerous leadership positions with USHBC and NABC. Bocock joins us to share what his new role means to him, the vision he brings to MBG, and how he sees the future of our industry at a time when alignment and leadership matter more than ever.

“My vision is that MBG continues and grows a lot over the next five to eight years, built upon success, not growth for the sake of growth. … There is another huge component of this, and I've been an advocate of this and MBG has for a long time, involvement in NABC and USHBC and other organizations, including state organizations. It's just so important that we get as much talent from our grower base, from our management team, engaged in these organizations to help drive success through there. Because they're reaching some places that we, MBG, are not gonna hit by ourselves.” – Brian Bocock

Topics covered include:

Bocock’s new role at MBG Marketing.
The profound loss and lasting legacy of previous MBG Marketing CEO Brad Moorer.
A discussion about what Bocock sees as the immediate future and long-term potential for the blueberry industry.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Ryan Rainey in Michigan, Michelle Borges in California, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Mario in Mexico, Brittany Lee in Florida, Kristin Brinkley in North Carolina, Alec Arena in New Jersey, Luis Vegas in Peru, and Sunny Bar in British Columbia. This was recorded on May 21, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined once again by Leslie Wada, Ph.D. Dr. Wada is USHBC’s senior director of nutrition and health research. She’s also a researcher, scientist and a registered dietitian who has spent over 15 years working alongside our industry and USHBC leadership to help turn blueberries into a global health icon.

“ If we can get (young) consumers aware of the importance of blueberries and have it just be a staple of their diet, hopefully there will be more than one in 10 adults who eat the recommended fruits and vegetables by the time they are adults. … Getting kids exposed to blueberries in schools, … that's one way.” – Leslie Wada, Ph.D.

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Dr. Wada and her work at USHBC.
A discussion of the council’s contribution to research efforts, recent focus on cognitive health and involvement with school nutrition programs.
A look at what comes next for health research and what that means for the blueberry industry.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Alan Schreiber in Washington, T.J. Hafner in Oregon, Ryan Rainey in Michigan, Brittany Lee in Florida, Mario Ramirez in Mexico, Pat Goin in Indiana, Kristen Brinkley in North Carolina, Alec Arena in New Jersey, Sunny Brar in British Columbia, Michelle Borges in California and Derrin Wheeler in Georgia. This was recorded on May 7, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Kevin Hamilton, vice president of global marketing and communications for USHBC and NABC. Over the past two years, Hamilton and his team have elevated how we look at what’s next for driving consumer demand for blueberries at retail, helping to reshape how blueberries show up as a category. He joins the podcast to share about the USHBC’s efforts at retail, and the impact these programs and retail relationships are having on the blueberry industry.

“ We're here to simply do exactly what (retailers) want to do: Sell as many blueberries as possible at the best price. And then with the pilot projects that have turned into recurring projects with these retailers – they're seeing results. So the evolution has gone from introducing ourselves to now us getting phone calls from them, having a more collaborative relationship.” – Kevin Hamilton

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Hamilton and his work at the councils.
A discussion of the efforts underway with retailers, and the importance of these relationships on driving demand for blueberries.
A look into the strategies and tactics for growing the blueberry category at retail.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Kristin Brinkley in North Carolina, Alec Arena in New Jersey, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Eliza Spreitzer in Michigan, Pat Goin in Indiana, Sunny Brar in British Columbia, Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on April 30, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” we’re sharing the highly requested and well-attended panel discussion Understanding Mexico’s Production Landscape from The 2026 Blueberry Hill Climb and Industry Meetings. Facilitated by U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) vice chair Brittany Lee, this session brings together an elite panel of veteran voices providing firsthand experience on some of the difficult decisions currently reshaping the region. The panel includes Mario Flores, vice president of Twin River Berries; David Jackson, owner of Family Tree Farms; and Gonzalo De Elizalde, global product leadership vice president for Driscoll’s.

“ When we grow supply, we are seeing that the market can move and transact higher volumes of fruit at higher prices over time. I think that is thanks to the amount of fruit that is being produced and being pumped to the industry by Peru, Mexico, California, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, Michigan, everyone. So, what I'm trying to say is that we are truly in it together.” – Gonzalo De Elizalde

Topics covered include:

A look at the blueberry production landscape in Mexico.
A discussion of the impact of imports on the blueberry industry.
An exploration of the labor challenges in Mexico and the U.S.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Sunny Brar in British Columbia, Pat Goin in Indiana, Kristin Brinkley in North Carolina, Eliza Spreitzer in Michigan, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Michelle Borges in California and Alec Arena in New Jersey. This was recorded on April 23, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by blueberry grower and new USHBC Chair Ellie Norris. Making her fourth appearance on “The Business of Blueberries,” she joins us to share her goals for her leadership roles in the blueberry industry, including a strong emphasis on building community within her team and making exceptional quality the standard for her farm and beyond. Norris has been immersed in management from an early age, beginning her career on her family’s large-scale blueberry farm in Southern Oregon. There she developed one of her most valuable leadership skills: The ability to communicate effectively with diverse personalities and motivate teams toward shared success.

“Blueberries check so many boxes. We have health, convenience, versatility, but we just can't assume that consumers automatically are going to connect those dots. There's a real upside to expanding how and when people use blueberries and making sure that our messaging keeps pace with how consumers shop and eat today. … There are just so many opportunities for us to expand our relevance to the consumer market and internationally, the opportunity is equally significant.” – Ellie Norris

Topics covered include:

Meet Ellie Norris, blueberry grower and new USHBC chair.
Hear about the approach Norris will take in expanding the blueberry market, and how her leadership will achieve it.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout

important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Eliza Spreitzer in Georgia,

Kristin Brinkley in North Carolina, Eliza Spreitzer in Michigan, T.J. Hafner in Oregon,

Alan Schreiber in Washington, Pat Goin in Indiana, Michelle Borges in California, Sunny Brar in British Columbia, Luis Vegas in Peru, and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on April 16, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Tom Barnes, interim director of data and business intelligence at the USHBC and NABC, and president and CEO of Category Partners. Barnes is a veteran of the perishables industry with a deep passion for how data drives retail success. He has spent over two decades helping major retailers and suppliers navigate the relationship between business insights and market performance. Under his leadership, Category Partners has become a go-to resource for primary consumer research and technology solutions in the fresh food space. He joins the podcast to share his unique perspective and insight into the impact of market data on the blueberry industry.

“ Price is always a factor and always will be a factor. You can't just sell it for whatever you want, but it tells you that there is higher demand for blueberries every year, and the consumption is moving up, which isn't the case for every commodity.” — Tom Barnes

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Barnes and his work for USHBC/NABC and Category Partners.
How the data behind blueberry sales can inform future decisions and opportunities.
The excitement Barnes feels regarding the direction and growth of the blueberry industry based on the data.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Eliza Spreitzer in Michigan, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Michelle Borges in California, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Kristin Brinkley in North Carolina, Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on April 2, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” we welcome guest host Steve Mantle, founder and CEO of Innov8.ag and USHBC’s partner in the BerrySmart Field program, who’s joined by Charlie Andersen, CEO and founder of Burro, and Noe Toribio, customer success manager at Burro. Together, they discuss on-farm efficiency potential using autonomous robotics. They share the impact this technology can have on labor costs for producers and how that may affect the agriculture industry.

“There’s a lot of areas in agriculture and beyond where there are no robots today and people are moving around doing work that requires movement, plus perception, plus manipulation … and inspecting things on sites and doing data capture. They're all things where there's a real need for robots, but the way to get them going isn't to try to do it all at once. It's to do it in a stepped or phased approach, which is kind of the genesis of Burro.” – Charlie Andersen

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Anderson and Toribio, and their work.
The ideas that led to the creation of Burro, and the impact autonomous tractors can have for producers.
An exploration of the evolution of autonomous tractors and what the future may hold.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Eliza Spreitzer in Michigan, T.J. Hafner in Oregon, Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on February 26, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Lisa Wasko DeVetter, Ph.D., a professor of small fruit horticulture in the Department of Horticulture within the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences. Her work focuses on applied research and extension related to small fruit production systems, with an emphasis on improving fruit quality, production efficiency and sustainability for crops such as blueberries. DeVetter reflects on the recent flooding of the Northwest, its impact on blueberry producers and the evidence-based recommendations she can make to producers if another flooding event is experienced.

“Fortunately, there was enough time that elapsed between the 2021 flooding and this flood event so some of those fields that were impacted, they were either replanted because the damage was so severe or the planting was young and the grower took advantage of the opportunity just to start over with variety replacement or the field was managed and rejuvenated in such a way that it recovered. So, by the time it had this second flooding event, you know, we're not expecting kind of a double-whammy effect, if you will, from subsequent floodings from relatively close periods of time together.” – Lisa Wasko DeVetter, Ph.D.

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Devetter and her work.
An exploration of the factors that influenced recommendations for producers that were impacted by these two major flooding events.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Ross Phillips in Georgia, Luis Vegas in Peru, Andres Armstrong in Chile, Mario Ramirez in Mexico, T.J. Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington and Sunny Brar in British Columbia. This was recorded on February 12, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Tim Miles, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences at Michigan State University, where he leads the Small Fruit and Hop Pathology Program. Miles’ research focuses on the diagnosis, epidemiology and management of diseases affecting small fruit crops, with particular emphasis on blueberries and hops. He works closely with growers and industry partners to develop practical, science-based solutions that improve crop health, sustainability and productivity.

“ That's probably the most impactful or rewarding thing at the end of the day, is actually diagnosing what someone has in their field and then delivering sound, science-based management recommendations to help manage that disease.” – Tim Miles, Ph.D.

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Miles and his work.
The process and threat posed by fungicide resistance, as well as practices and options producers can use to avoid its persistence.
The value of identifying specific plant pathology to target best practices and treatments.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Luis Vegas in Peru, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Pat Goin in Indiana and Sunny Brar in British Columbia. This was recorded on Feb. 5, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined for the fourth time by Patricio Muñoz, Ph.D., associate professor of blueberry breeding and genomics and the Endowed Chair of Horticulture Crop Breeding at the University of Florida. When he’s not shaping the future of blueberry breeding, Muñoz also serves on the USHBC Council as the alternate public member. He’s an experienced plant breeder with involvement in multiple crops and cultivar releases whose research focuses on creating cultivar development at a faster and more efficient pace. Muñoz also has a deep understanding of the berry global market.

“The products that we are developing now … are the ones that are going to come in 5 to 10 years from now, and in that moment we need to do even more differentiation … like how do you stack them with other traits? I mean, can you make them crunchy? Yes, we can. And you'll see them soon, hopefully. Can you make them larger? Yes, we can. Can you make them healthier? Yes. Can you make different colors? Yes.” – Patricio Muñoz, Ph.D.

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Muñoz and his work.
An exploration of the strategies and traits Muñoz and his breeding team focus on.
Muñoz’s perspective on global demand and emerging blueberry markets.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on January 22, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), reflects on 2025 and shares some of the most impactful insights that emerged from the last season of the podcast. Common themes of interest over the last year include quality, genetics and global supply and demand.

“ What's not to be excited about the blueberry industry?... I mean everything that drives consumption in an agricultural commodity, blueberries has it. Convenience, health, snackability, flavor, fun, photogenic. It's an awesome category, commodity fruit to be a part of.” – Wade Jackson

“I think what's great about this industry is we have really passionate people that love what they do. Obviously, you know, you've brought a good young team in that really is trying to push this thing and convince all growers, it's the right direction to take. But I'm just most excited about the momentum we have.” – Greg Willems

Episodes covered:

Episode 199: Wade Jackson on Berry Genetics at Family Tree Farms
Episode 200: Farming, Finance and The Future With JC Clinard of Frutura
Episode 218: Berry Business Leadership: A Conversation With Garland Reiter Jr.
Episode 204: Developments in Blueberry Breeding With Paul Sandefur, Ph.D.
Episode 191: Blueberry Industry Growth Drivers: Part 2 With Hector Lujan
Episode 205: Innovation, Impact and International Growth: The IBO’s Mission With Mario Steta
Episode 206: From Data to Decisions: AI’s Role in Blueberry Success
Episode 197: The Impact of Genetics on Blueberry Quality With Greg Willems

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on January 15, 2026.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Jaclyn Bennett, general manager at Parabug, a company that’s changing the game when it comes to pest management. We caught up with Bennett at The Blueberry Convention back in October. Founded in 2016, Parabug uses drone technology to enhance the efficiency and affordability of biological pest control for growers. She shares about how drone technology is being adopted in blueberry fields, the benefits growers are seeing and what’s next for innovation in this space.

“ What Parabug does is we apply beneficial insects with drones. So we have a proprietary mechanism that mounts to essentially an off-the-shelf ag drone. That mechanism is incredibly gentle for beneficial insects and allows for another avenue of integrated pest management to be economically viable to growers.” – Jaclyn Bennett

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Bennett and her work at Parabug.
An exploration of the innovative technology created by Parabug and the benefits it can provide in pest management for producers.
A glimpse into Parabug’s next innovation.

Crop Report

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Luis Vegas, general manager of Proarándanos, and Miguel Bentin, founder of Valle y Pampa. Vegas leads his organization’s efforts to represent and promote Peru’s blueberry industry worldwide, providing critical market data, industry insights and strategic direction for growers and exporters. Bentin serves as the general manager of the joint venture between Valle y Pampa, a Peruvian blueberry production and export company, and Family Tree Farms. He has extensive experience in fruit production and global markets, and shares firsthand knowledge of the challenges and opportunities facing growers.

“I think 2023 was a wake-up call for all the industry. It was really a learning experience for all of us. … One of the things we learned was how the different varieties behaved under these conditions, and there was a clear difference between certain varieties.” – Luis Vegas

“ As Peru starts improving the average quality of the crop, we'll have more, as exporters, better opportunities in China, which is a very highly demanding market that establishes a big difference between premium fruit, what they consider premium fruit and regular fruit.” – Miguel Bentin

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Vegas and Bentin, and their work.
An exploration of Proarándanos global priorities and reach.
The impact weather has had on the Peruvian blueberry production over the past year.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on December 11, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), brings us back to Seattle for an episode recorded at The 2025 Blueberry Convention. He’s joined byGeorgia blueberry grower Alex Cornelius and dried fruit producer and processor Dominic Meduri. Cornelius shares the impact the USHBC and NABC have had on the industry, the value he finds in being involved in the convention and future efforts. Meduri provides additional perspective by reflecting on industry changes within blueberry processing.

“ This is my organization and I need to be involved, and I think the American farmer needs to remember that this is our organization and that it is here for us and it benefits us. And you can't always do that from home … the NABC, the USHBC, it is here for the American farmers. Yes, it's the international businesses, but it's here to promote blueberries and it's here for us to learn.” – Alex Cornelius

”Everybody is very interested in U.S. blueberries, whether we get inquiries for fresh and frozen. You know our primary goal is to focus on dried but I think that there's still a lot of opportunities out there in a lot of different regions of the world.” – Dominic Meduri

Topics covered include:

A discussion of the benefits the USHBC and NABC provide producers.
Opportunities for expanding the reach of the blueberry industry into dried fruit manufacturing.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on December 4, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Ray Starling, general counsel for the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce and an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Starling serves North Carolina’s business community through statewide outreach, blending his lifelong passions for public service, agriculture, law and policy. He’s also the author of Farmers Versus Foodies and a former USDA Chief of Staff.

“ It’s the public policy atmosphere that can help us the most, because frankly, it's the one that puts us most at risk, depending on what our labor policies and regulatory policies are among others.” – Ray Starling

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Starling and his work.
Starling’s journey to find his platform and voice within the public policy space to support the agriculture industry.
An exploration of the priorities Starling believes should be addressed in public policy to support the agriculture industry, including labor policies, farmer business practices and innovation.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by the finalists from the Blueberry Boost Accelerator. These interviews were recorded on Blueberry Lane at The Blueberry Convention 2025 in Seattle, Washington. Cronquist interviews each finalist about their business, and recognizes the winner and runner up of this first cohort.

The Blueberry Boost Accelerator was launched earlier this year to fuel forward-thinking product innovation and elevate blueberries as a hero ingredient by supporting visionary startups. From functional nutrition to clean-label desserts, this inaugural cohort exemplifies the future of the power of blueberries.

“This is a tight competition. There’s some great people with some great products.” – Bob Underwood, Farmer Bob’s Beyond Berries

“We have, through this … accelerator program, connected with a company that is a CPG firm, and fingers crossed that we are able to … solidify that relationship there.” – Jerrod Gable, Sorbatto

“I eat a ton of blueberries … the superfood, the elements, the antioxidants, the prebiotic properties; it also pairs really well with the earthy tones of the fiber that we use.” – Jessica Postiglione, Bonny Fiber Supplements

“It has been a long journey building this brand and just getting the support from the blueberry team just takes it to another level.” – Dylan Paul, Pluff

Today’s episode features the four finalists from the 2025 Blueberry Boost Accelerator cohort:

Jessica Postiglione of Bonny Fiber Supplements, a fiber supplement flavored with blueberries to support gut health.
Bob Underwood of Farmer Bob’s Beyond Berries, a frozen snack product used from upcycling blueberries and other fruit.
Dylan Paul of Pluff, a unique mousse-style blueberry dessert that’s high in protein.
Jerrod Gable of Sorbatto, a frozen dessert that uses highbush blueberries as its base.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council, is joined by Ben Escoe, president and CEO of Twin River Berries. Twin River is a vertically integrated berry company built on a foundation of family farming and global reach. Escoe leads a network of U.S. farms and partners across Mexico, Chile and Peru, working to ensure year-round availability of high-quality blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. He was first introduced to agriculture when his father started a small organic berry operation while Escoe was studying finance in college. He recognized through that experience that “farming requires a lot of innovation” and quickly developed a passion for blueberry production.

“ Success starts with our farms and with our growers. When farms succeed, we succeed. Everybody in the supply chain succeeds. … It's not all about just operating for the sake of profits. It's about building an ecosystem that works for everybody involved in genetics and markets and supply chain. Those are all tools that feed that ecosystem, and if you can make the whole system thrive, then we feel that's when you've really built something lasting.” – Ben Escoe

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Escoe.
The beginnings and evolution of Twin River Berries and how the company has grown and expanded over time.
The opportunity the variety Peachy Blue is providing to the blueberry industry.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Garland Reiter Jr., chief commercial officer (CCO) for Driscoll’s of the Americas and a fourth-generation berry industry leader. Reiter is known for driving innovation, sustainability and strategic growth across the berry category, which spans many global markets. In his current role, he oversees sales strategy, market expansion, customer development and business solutions, driving revenue growth across North and South America.

“ On a daily basis, the principal part of my job is to try to share with our customers the importance of focusing on the consumer. The importance there and how you get that message to a consumer is by branding. And so sharing with them the value chain that we invest on the genetics, we invest on the supply chain, and we invest on the brand . … The job of the first clamshell is to sell the next clamshell.” – Garland Reiter Jr.

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Reiter and his career in the berry industry.
An exploration of Driscoll’s focus on expanding and elevating the eating experience for customers.
A look at the tiered produce offerings available in Europe, and a discussion of whether that marketing model will make its way to U.S. grocery shelves.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Inez Be, U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and North American Blueberry Council (NABC) director of marketing, is joined by the finalists from the Blueberry Boost Accelerator. The accelerator was launched earlier this year to fuel forward-thinking product innovation and elevate blueberries as a hero ingredient by supporting visionary startups. From functional nutrition to clean-label desserts, the finalists exemplify the future of the power of blueberries. They’ll present their products during a “Shark Tank” style pitch competition this week at The Blueberry Convention.

“ The accelerator program was designed to discover and support emerging startups who are innovating with blueberries for their consumer products.” – Inez Be

Blueberry Boost Accelerator Finalists:

Bonny Fiber Supplements has a fiber supplement flavored with blueberries to support the gastrointestinal tract.
Beyond Berries has a frozen snack product used from upcycling a wide variety of blueberries.
Pluff has a unique mousse-style blueberry dessert that’s high in protein.
Sorbatto has a blue cream frozen dessert that uses highbush blueberries as its base.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Alan Schreiber in Washington, Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on September 25, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Matias Allesandrini, commercial manager at LaFrut and a member of the Chilean Blueberry Committee (CBC) Board of Directors. With his dual roles, which are both commercial and technical, Allesandrini is uniquely positioned to connect on-farm decisions with market demands, helping growers adapt and exporters stay competitive.

“ People are becoming more selective, and retailers know that repeat purchase depends on delivering a great eating experience. And I think particularly in Chile, and in the U.S., on the high-chill variety, we have a good advantage in it, which, in my personal opinion, it's where all the flavor is. So, while firmness and shelf life may guide initial selection from a logistic and commercial standpoint, flavor is what completes the picture.” - Matias Allesandrini

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Allesandrini and his work.
An exploration of the LaFrut company, its family-based foundation and its journey toward an exporting focus.
A discussion of the many challenges facing Chilean producers as they continue to pivot their focus to the global market.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Caylan Huddleston in Oregon, Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on September 18, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Minghua Tang, Ph.D., and Leslie Wada, Ph.D. Tang is an associate professor and the Lillian Fountain Smith Endowed Chair in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Colorado State University. Wada is the USHBC’s sr. director of nutrition and health research. Tang and Wada share some exciting results found in a study regarding complementary feeding of blueberries to infants.

“ We saw these beneficial effects of the blueberry powder compared to the placebo in terms of the immunity, and we also saw that in terms of the gut microbiome. … So after eating the blueberry for seven months and after eating the placebo for seven months with the same background diet, if you take blueberry on top of what you eat, you have less of these pathogens in your gut, and that's what we saw.” — Minghua Tang, Ph.D.

Topics covered include:

Hear about a recent study that identified significant benefits for infants after being fed blueberries.
Discover the benefits of introducing blueberries in the complementary feeding phase of infants, and the lifelong impacts it can have on health.

Crop Report

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Inez Be, director of marketing atthe U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by VentureFuel Founder and CEO Fred Schonenberg. VentureFuel is an innovation advisory firm that helps major brands, such as Netflix and General Mills, unlock growth through startup collaborations. The USHBC has partnered with VentureFuel to launch the Blueberry Boost Accelerator, a first-of-its-kind program supporting emerging brands using blueberries as a prominent ingredient. Schonenberg is a frequent speaker at top industry events like SXSW and Shoptalk, and holds executive education credentials from Harvard, MIT Sloan and Columbia Business School. He shares the value and purpose of such an innovative program and the benefit it can offer blueberry stakeholders.

“ Really, it's a programmatic and high-speed way to take very promising ideas and accelerate their growth to some sort of impact. And what's really cool about what we're doing in the blueberry industry is this idea that the blueberries are the heart of this, they're the platform of innovation.” – Fred Schonenberg

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Shonenberg and his work at VentureFuel.
A description of the Blueberry Boost Accelerator and what it hopes to achieve.
The impact this intensive program can have for innovative startups with a blueberry focus.

Learn more about the Blueberry Boost Accelerator today and meet the finalists – and sample their products – at the upcoming Blueberry Convention!

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Alan Schreiber in Washington, Caylan Huddleston in Oregon and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on September 4, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” we welcome guest host Steve Mantle, founder and CEO of Innov8.ag and USHBC’s partner in the BerrySmart Field program, who is joined by Tim Hyde, CEO and co-founder of SWAN Systems. They’re coming to you live from the fields at this year's Washington State Berrysmart Field Demo Day in Mount Vernon, Washington. Together, they discuss how tech innovation and data can help solve problems and increase profitability for producers. Hyde shares about the significance of precision irrigation management in Australia and the many practices they’ve researched and developed to allow for growth in the dry Australian environment.

“ We had our millennial drought from 2000 to 2010, and we're seeing that over here where you've got pressures with lack of water. We have wage increases with that, and also the whole social license is really impacting how customers and consumers want to see their product grown and they don't really want to see water wasted. So we're just trying to help growers be more successful.” – Tim Hyde

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Hyde and SWAN Systems’ work in Australia.
An exploration of the water-saving solutions Australia has established and what North American producers can learn from their efforts.
What you can expect to hear during sessions on this topic at The Blueberry Convention in Seattle this October.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Sunny Brar in British Columbia, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Brody Schropp in Michigan, Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on August 21, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council, is joined by Harry Kaiser, Ph.D., a professor at Cornell University.Kaiser directs the Cornell Commodity Promotion Research Program and conducts economic evaluations for national agricultural marketing programs, including the USHBC. In this interview, Kaiser discusses his career in measuring the impact of agricultural promotion programs and the findings of his recent independent analysis on the return on investment (ROI) of the USHBC.

“ In other words, what I found was if you had an extra dollar to spend (on top of your budget) … it would return $19.29 cents in industrywide profit, net revenue operating profits, which is a very, very high ROI.” – Harry Kaiser, Ph.D.

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Kaiser and his work.
Kaiser’s independent analysis of the blueberry industry’s investment in the USHBC and its ROI.
The methodology followed to determine the ROI of the promotional spend to producers.
How the blueberry industry can continue to increase demand to keep pace with rising global production.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru, Sunny Brar in British Columbia, TJ Hafner in Oregon and Alan Schreiber in Washington. This was recorded on August 14, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Amanda Griffin, vice president of engagement and education for USHBC/NABC. Cronquist and Griffin discuss how blueberry industry events have evolved throughout the years, and why gatherings like The Blueberry Convention, October 8-10 in Seattle, are must-attend for knowledge building, networking and more.

“We wanted to focus on how to get the most out of what the event is by having relatable content, Blueberry Lane and the meetings all in one spot . Rather than doing that twice a year, let’s just do it once. The other fun piece to this is it allowed for us to open up resources to do more of what we are hearing the industry wanted … for us to come to them.” – Amanda Griffin

Topics covered include:

The evolution of USHBC events and how they’ve grown and expanded over the years.
What to expect at this year's Blueberry Convention, including new content and standout elements to get excited about.
Increased excitement around Blueberry Lane and Blueberry Row.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from TJ Hafner in Oregon, Sunny Brar in British Columbia, Mario Ramirez in Mexico, Brody Schropp in Michigan and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on July 31, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council, is joined by USHBC Chair Bryan Sakuma. As a fourth-generation grower, Sakuma brings deep industry experience to his role as a leader of strategic initiatives for the blueberry industry. His passion for blueberries and vision for collaboration among producers is helping shape the future of the industry. In this episode, Sakuma discusses efforts to further engage our growers and encourage their involvement in meetings and events.

“ Every meeting we go to we learn a little bit more about how to better be prepared, what growers are wanting to hear, how they're wanting to hear it, because some people are verbal, some people want to see something on a chart and others just want to be one-on-one. So the different aspects are interesting and we're learning, and I think we're doing a better job of getting that information out and growers understanding where we're at, where we're headed and when we're going to get there.” – Bryan Sakuma

Topics covered include:

The latest opportunities for collaboration between the blueberry industry and growers.
Sakuma’s vision and priorities for USHBC in the coming years.
How USHBC is thinking about technology for industry growth.
The ways producers can access and participate in industry meetings.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Sunny Brar in British Columbia, Brody Schropp in Michigan and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on July 24, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council, is joined by Dennis Tootelian, Ph.D., an emeritus professor of marketing in the College of Business at California State University, Sacramento. Tootelian is also a nationally recognized expert in economic impact research for agriculture, with two landmark studies quantifying the U.S. highbush blueberry industry’s multi-billion dollar economic contribution. With decades of experience advising commodity groups, he brings deep insight into how data drives industry growth and advocacy.

“ So, growers had a huge impact nationally. Those were the numbers, but this occurred in each of the eight states that we looked at, millions, hundreds of millions of dollars in activity. Thousands of jobs created. Hundreds of millions in spending as a result of labor income, millions in taxes that get to be used … Blueberry growers and importers spent about $3.6 billion in an average year, 10 million a day, roughly, and that's a lot of money to be spending, and it resulted in an economic impact of little over $9 billion, or about $25 million every day of every year.” – Dennis Tootelian, Ph.D.

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Tootelian and his research.
An explanation of the macro-economic impacts of the blueberry industry and how they are measured.
A deep dive into the data generated by Tootelian’s research, and what the data shows policymakers about the impact of the blueberry industry.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from TJ Hafner in Oregon, Sunny Brar in British Columbia, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Pat Goin in Indiana and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on July 17, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Steve Mantle, founder and CEO of Innov8.ag. Mantle and his team have been working closely with USHBC to transform high-tech field data into actionable insights. With test fields already established, Mantle is here to share where we are today, where we’re headed and why the BerrySmart Fields program is just getting started. He dives into the intersection of technology and agriculture – specifically, how we’re improving our ability to forecast yield using data-informed decisions across the blueberry supply chain.

“ Our work is focused on validating a smart farm network that enables blueberry growers, packers, marketers, stakeholders, sales tech and research to collaborate on farm operation optimization. So everything from what tech to be using, how to use it, to the bigger picture of how do we unlock data insights across the blueberry industry in ways that help the whole blueberry value chain grow and thrive into the future.” – Steve Mantle

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Steve Mantle and his work.
The purpose and impact of the BerrySmart Fields, and what it offers to all stakeholders in the blueberry supply chain.
What the future holds for the BerrySmart team, and the innovations they’re evaluating and sharing with the industry.
How to learn more at The Blueberry Convention 2025. We hope to see you there!

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Alan Schreiber in Washington, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Brody Schropp in Michigan, Matt Macrie in New Jersey and Sunny Brar in British Columbia. This was recorded on July 10, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Ken Gilliam, vice president of predictive analysis at The Directions Group, and Cassidy Marn, account executive at The Directions Group. Together, Gilliam and Marn turn insights into real-world game plans, get teams on board and help teams move in the right direction to drive impactful decisions across organizations. Currently, they’re assisting USHBC with a survey related to its 2026-2030 strategic plan.

“ You need data to make a better decision about what your next strategy is, and that survey is one of the primary tools that we use to inform the data stack that we need to find the issues that are most relevant to USHBC and the rest of the council.” – Ken Gilliam

Topics covered include:

An introduction to The Directions Group and the history of the organization.
A discussion about the USHBC survey and why it’s so crucial for blueberry stakeholders to participate. (You can participate now here!)
The topics and questions included in this year’s survey.
How The Directions Group separates itself from other groups to reach a broader audience.

Check out the “Farmer of the Future 2.0” report by The Direction's Group, a foundational study and audience segmentation of U.S. farmers that changed the way many organizations had previously approached the market.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Mario Ramirez in Mexico,

Michelle Borges in California, Sunny Brar in British Columbia and Brody Schropp in Michigan. This was recorded on July 3, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Lucas Thelosen, founder and CEO of Gravity, and Joe Vargas, director of business intelligence for USHBC and NABC. Thelosen has been at the forefront of leveraging technology to transform industries, and today he and Vargas discuss what this means for blueberries and for agriculture.

“ What if we could bring the same level of analytical sophistication that someone like Amazon has or someone like Google has, to the average business?” – Lucas Thelosen

“ I think that artificial intelligence piece where you can have an analyst with you 24/7, whether you're working on stuff in an airplane or in the middle of the night, it's there for you to be able to help you understand things that you didn't see.” – Joe Vargas

Topics covered include:

An introduction to artificial intelligence (AI) and its use for extracting insights from data.
A discussion about how the USHBC is leveraging advancements in AI to help the industry make more optimal decisions.
Why this is the next evolution of the BerrySmart Insights platform.
How data and AI will impact the future of the blueberry industry.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, Pat Goin in Indiana, Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on June 12, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Mario Steta, chair of the International Blueberry Organization (IBO) and vice president of sustainability, compliance and public affairs for Driscoll’s Europe, Middle East and Africa. With deep experience in global berry production and trade, Steta is helping lead the charge on innovation, sustainability and international collaboration in the blueberry industry. Under his leadership, the IBO represents over 90% of the world’s blueberry production. He shares the current state of affairs in the blueberry industry and the many benefits he sees in global collaboration to improve technology and innovation for all blueberry stakeholders.

“ But, in essence, we see the blueberry industry and our commitment to it, beyond what we do as a company and with our growers, as an effort that speaks for exactly what we’re doing today. Opening up and having a dialogue of the things we can work together, the concerns we have, and the differences we have, too, which is important.” – Mario Steta

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Steta and his work with IBO and Driscoll’s.
A discussion on IBO’s mission and the progress it’s making on behalf of the global blueberry industry.
Details on this year’s IBO summit in South Africa.
Insights from the IBO 2024 Report.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Mario Ramirez in Mexico, Michelle Borges in California, Sunny Brar in British Columbia, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Luis Vegas in Peru and Derrin Wheeler in Georgia. This was recorded on June 6, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Paul Sandefur, Ph.D., vice president of research and development at Fall Creek Farm and Nursery. Sandefur received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in horticulture from the University of Arkansas, and his doctoral degree from Washington State University. He leads the mid- and high-chill blueberry breeding program based in Oregon, and collaborates closely with Fall Creek’s breeding teams in Mexico and Europe. He joins the podcast to share about the process of bringing new blueberry varieties to the market, and the many characteristics Fall Creek is focusing on for the future of the industry.

“ Now, I have the pleasure of working with our global team to bring new varieties to the market. So really focusing on new varieties that have the eating experience that brings the joy that we need consumers to have, that we want consumers to have, but then also have the grower economics to make it work. That’s what gets me going and that’s what I get excited about doing every day.” – Paul Sandefur, Ph.D.

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Sandefur and his work.
The process behind developing new blueberry varieties and the obstacles plant breeders face in bringing them to market.
The traits and unique qualities of the Peachy Blue variety.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Mario Ramirez in Mexico, Luis Vegas in Peru, Todd Sanders in California, Sunny Brar in British Columbia, Jody McPherson in North Carolina and Pat Goin in Indiana. This was recorded on May 29, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is once again joined by Leslie Wada, Ph.D., and Alyssa Houtby. Dr. Wada is our very own senior director of nutrition and health research at the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council. She’s responsible for furthering the reputation and appreciation for the health benefits of blueberries and USHBC’s health research program. Houtby is the director of government affairs for the North American Blueberry Council and serves as a policy adviser to the USHBC, helping identify and advance the public policy goals for blueberries. Together, they collaborate to increase the impact of the blueberry industry on government policy and health research to continue to expand consumer demand for blueberries.

“ I don't think anybody would ever question that blueberries are a healthy product, but now we have, because of the USHBC and the work that Dr. Wada has led, we have credible science to stand on and influence government policies. … So it's a great space for us to work in as a credible source of information, and also politically savvy enough to identify where the opportunities are.” – Alyssa Houtby

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Wada and Houtby, and their work for the councils.
The opportunities for blueberries that emerge from the revision of the dietary guidelines and the growing viewpoint of “food as medicine.”
How the blueberry industry can impact future government policy and health research efforts.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Georgia, California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Indiana, Mexico and Peru. This was recorded on May 8, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Haiying Zhang, USHBC director of global business development. Zhang has a strong background in the agriculture industry and was previously the senior director of global marketing for American Pistachio Growers. In her role at USHBC, she works to expand global blueberry trade by increasing consumption in international markets. Zhang also works with the USDA to seek grants to continue to develop global markets.

“ My job at USHBC is to expand the global trade for our blueberries through increasing consumption in our international markets. And so, really, our goal is to make blueberries the world's favorite fruit.” – Haiying Zhang

Topics covered include:

An exploration of the USHBC’s efforts to expand the number and size of international markets for blueberries.
The purpose and benefits of the USDA’s Market Access Program (MAP) and Regional Agricultural Promotional Program (RAPP), and how they are being used to promote the blueberry industry.
A deep dive into the analysis performed to evaluate global markets and determine which are most valuable to pursue.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Mexico, North Carolina, California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. This was recorded on April 24, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council, is joined by Brian Kuehl, executive director of the Agriculture Trade Education Council. The Agriculture Trade Education Council is the premier resource for education on the value of agricultural trade policies, practices and structures. Its mission is to provide understandable and reliable information on trade to inform and empower decision-making that facilitates growth in U.S. food and agriculture. He also serves as the director of government and public affairs at Pinion, a leading advisory and accounting firm dedicated to the food and agriculture industry. In this episode, he shares the history of global trade as we know it today and unpacks the issues that are significant to the blueberry industry going forward.

“ The Agriculture Trade Education Council views itself as content neutral in the sense of it's not taking a stand for tariffs or against tariffs, or for a free trade agreement or against a free trade agreement. That's not its job. Its job is to provide trade information, so it tries to stay out of the fights and the debates. It tries to just provide information so that everyone who's engaged in those discussions can operate off a common platform of knowledge and understanding.” – Brian Kuehl

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Kuehl and his work.
The opportunities provided by the Agriculture Trade Education Council and the importance of this type of education.
The history of the global trade system and the dynamic nature of its evolution.
The most significant aspects of current agricultural trade that will impact the blueberry industry.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Jody McPherson in North Caroline, T.J. Hafner in Oregon and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on April 17, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by JC Clinard, a third-generation farmer and CEO of berries at Frutura. Clinard is also very active in the councils, serving as the USHBC Finance Committee chair, USHBC Treasurer and a member of the Executive Committee. He shares about his background in blueberries, his new role with Frutura and his current focus with USHBC.

“ I believe demand will continue to increase for blueberries, but I think that there is a whole other level of demand increase that we can take advantage of and capture if we're strategic.” – JC Clinard

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Clinard’s background in blueberries and his current role with Frutura.
Clinard’s vision for the opportunities ahead for blueberry supply and demand.
A discussion of what the industry needs to do to seize the opportunity to become the world’s favorite fruit.
Also mentioned in this episode: “Why Frutura is Betting Big on Berries.”

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today, you’ll hear from Derrin Wheeler in Georgia and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on March 20, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Wade Jackson of Family Tree Farms. Jackson is a third-generation family farm owner and a board member at Family Tree Farms. He has also developed expertise in genetics and breeding blueberry varieties. He shares about how Family Tree Farms is thinking about genetics and where that’s driving their partnership with Mountain Blue Orchards (MBO).

“We're always going to hang our hat on flavor at Family Tree Farms. … We have weekly tastings with our whole family, and there's always one of us bringing our kids. … Who drives consumption? It's the kids. So, a lot of what runs our business is what these kids that are 11 years old and younger gravitate to at these tasting tables.” – Wade Jackson

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Jackson.
A summary of the partnership between Family Tree Farms and Mountain Blue Orchards, and the varieties this partnership has produced.
A discussion of what farmers care about most in new genetics and where that’s pushing the industry

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today, you’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Alan Schreiber in Washington and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on March 13, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Amanda Griffin, vice president of engagement and education for the USHBC, celebrates International Women’s Day by featuring three women leaders from the blueberry industry. Ellie Norris is the owner/manager of Norris Blueberry Farms; Anna Jesseis the vice president of Forest Hills Farm; and Shelly Hartmann is the owner of True Blue Farms and the immediate past chair of the USHBC. Together, they discuss future USHBC and NABC initiatives to support women and various ways women can take more active roles in the blueberry industry.

“ I have to say I'm proud of my industry. When I started becoming more active on my state level and the national level, there were already strong females in roles of leadership that I could look up to and follow in their footsteps. And in the 10 years that I have been active and become more active, I just see this younger generation coming up behind me and also being active.” – Ellie Norris

Topics covered include:

The journey these women have taken to become significant contributors to the blueberry industry.
Announcement of a five-part women in blueberries webinar to be launched this fall.
Plans for a “Women in Blueberries Award.”

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Derrin Wheeler in Georgia and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on March 6, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Greg Willems, the President of G & M Farms Inc. and President of the California Blueberry Nursery. Willems established his production as a self-starting, vertically integrated farming operation over twenty years ago. He shares the priorities he places on the genetics his nursery is developing as well as efforts he’s making towards future blueberry market expansion.

“ I think one thing that really helps me when I evaluate varieties is understanding what it looks like in the field, how it comes off the plant – does the plant grow well, and does it perform in the way we need it to to make a mechanical high quality berry? Because obviously everybody knows the bar has been set pretty high for blueberry quality.” - Greg Willems

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Willems and his expertise in berries.
Explore Willem’s experience in table grapes and the impact on blueberry operations.
The challenges of introducing new varieties to producers and providing new packaging to consumers.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today, you’ll hear from Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Andres Armstrong in Chile and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on February 27, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by George Lobisser, CEO & Co-Founder of RipeLocker. RipeLocker is a science-based, data-driven company that has been testing the efficacy of its containers to extend the post-harvest life of perishables.

“ I didn't start RipeLocker to be focused on tangible benefits, and tangible is simply I can put a dollar sign against it. I started RipeLocker because of my passion for healthy eating and quality. … If you slow senescence, the fruit’s going to be more nutritious.” – George Lobisser

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Lobisser and his work.
An explanation of the revolutionary technology that’s behind the RipeLocker container.
The impact RipeLocker could have on the produce industry by preserving post-harvest produce.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Brittany Lee in Florida, Andres Armstrong in Chile and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on February 20, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Bryan Sakuma and Teddy Koukoulis, the incoming chairs of the USHBC and NABC. Together, they discuss what interested them in these new roles, the value the two organizations bring to each other and what their leadership will offer the blueberry industry going forward.

“ As a farmer that's in Florida, I'm thinking the most important thing to me is the last two weeks of March and the first two weeks of April. But as a marketer, as a retailer, blueberries are important 365 days a year. … It's going to be one of my jobs as part of the NABC to continue these town hall meetings and educate people that other regions are not our enemies, that we can work together.” – Teddy Koukoulis

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Sakuma and Koukoulis, and their blueberry industry experience.
An exploration of what brought them to their new roles and what they hope to achieve for the industry.
A discussion about how the two organizations can work together and support each other to benefit the industry.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Andres Armstrong in Chile and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on January 30, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Pat Goin. Goin and her husband, Kevin, own Goin’s Blueberry Lane in Indiana. Before her tenure as chair of the NABC Board of Directors, Goin served as board vice chair, and chair of the NABC’s Government Affairs Committee. She was also the chair of the USHBC’s Good Practices Committee. Goin reflects on her time as NABC board chair, highlights the progress that was made and discusses where she sees the industry going under its new leadership.

“ The blueberry industry to me, has always been a large family. When we come together, it doesn't matter who you market for or what region you're in, you just try to find the common ground and move it forward. And those are the kinds of things we do in the states. Those are the kinds of things that we did in Peru and in Chile. So what a great experience.” – Pat Goin

Topics covered include:

Hear Goin’s reflections on her time as NABC chair.
Explore the international and leadership experiences Goin participated in, and hear highlights of each of them.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Andres Armstrong in Chile. This was recorded on January 23, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Shelly Hartmann, who is making her fifth appearance on the podcast. Hartmann served as chair of the USHBC from 2021 to 2024. This year, she leaves the position in the very capable hands of Bryan Sakuma. Hartmann reflects on her tenure with the USHBC and the lessons she learned, and shares her hopes for the future of the blueberry industry.

“ I feel that one of the things I'm proudest of, if I had to say one, is the involvement and the growth of participation that we've been able to achieve in the three-and-a-half years, because we took something that was like an industry meeting and then now we've moved it into something that's more of an educational forum.” – Shelly Hartmann

Topics covered include:

A few of Hartmann’s experiences as the USHBC chair.
A discussion of the many improvements Hartmann has seen in the blueberry industry and the council over the last few years.
A glimpse into the future endeavors Hartmann sees the council participating in, and the benefits they’ll provide to blueberry growers.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru, Andres Armstrong in Chile, Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Derrin Wheeler in Georgia. This was recorded on Jan. 16, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Paul Pryce, the new executive director of the British Columbia Blueberry Council. Pryce previously served for nearly three years at the British Columbia Agriculture Council, and is passionate about food security and supporting those who feed our communities. He brings over 15 years of experience in government relations, advocacy, market development and international diplomacy to the Canadian Blueberry industry.

“ We don't want to see people going out of production. We don't want to see bushes being pulled out. So, how do we keep those people in the game? And I think that's encouraging them.” — Paul Pryce

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Pryce and his expertise.
The biggest concerns for Canadian blueberry growers, and how the British Columbia Blueberry Council is addressing them.
An exploration of potential new markets for blueberries.
The current dynamics along the U.S. border, and possible blueberry industry implications in the face of ever-changing global politics.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on January 8, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Hector Lujan,CEO at berry giant Hortifrut and the leader of its global operations. Lujan’s career spans over 20 years in the berry industry, with previous roles at Reiter and BerryMex. Last episode, Lujan shared what led him to his current position at Hortifrut. Today, he describes his perspective on the global blueberry industry.

“ So, I think what we need to look at is, one, as marketers – to make sure that we are moving toward what the consumer wants and providing that product. And as growers – we are long-term thinkers and developing the industry with that long-term view because it will continue to grow the market.” — Hector Lujan

Topics covered include:

Lujan’s vision for the global blueberry industry.
How to grow both the volume and value of the blueberry market.
Dynamics in key growing regions like Mexico and Chile.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on January 2, 2025.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Hector Lujan, the new CEO at berry giant Hortifrut and the leader of its global operations. Lujan’s career spans over 20 years in the berry industry, with previous roles at Reiter and BerryMex. Lujan shares what led him to his current position at Hortifruit, and his vision for the future of the berry patch.

“ By bringing the berry patch together along with a year-round supply, the demand for berries is continuing to grow. It's healthy candy. And what we see is … the per capita consumption will continue to grow as these new generations get to eat it year-round and it's part of their daily diet.” — Hector Lujan

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Lujan and his career in berries.
Hortifruit’s role in the global berry patch.
Lujan’s vision for Hortifruit and blueberries in the future.

Tune in to part two of the interview with Hector Lujan on episode 191!

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on December 26, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Inez Be, the new USHBC Director of Marketing. Be is a marketing, PR and communications expert who’s passionate about food and agriculture, and has years of experience working for a number of commodities groups, including potatoes, honey, almonds, rice, avocados and blueberries. Tune in to discover the impact Be is already making in the blueberry industry through many creative promotions and events, and to hear what she has planned for the future.

“It's just exciting to be able to start at this stage within the blueberry industry and have an actual impact on that, and be able to learn about the many dynamic, kind of complicated and interesting facets of what the blueberry industry has to offer. … We want to make sure that what we're doing is reaching our target audience where they are, and being able to communicate that value and joy that blueberries provide.” – Inez Be

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Be and her career.
Discussion of the many events and promotions Be has already been involved in, and what she’s looking forward to creating for the industry.
An exploration of the future strategy for blueberry marketing under Be’s leadership, including collaborations with influencers and organizations.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on December 6, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined bySteve Ware, vice president and general manager, value added, at Naturipe Farms. Naturipe is known for its sustainable practices and innovation in the berry industry. As a grower cooperative, Naturipe prioritizes farmer collaboration to deliver high-quality berries year-round. Ware discusses his 30-year journey in the produce industry, Naturipe's sustainable practices and its innovative approach to value-added blueberry products.

“Now people are on the go. A lot of companies are making people go back to the office. A lot of people are traveling. Sports are back in. Everything is back in swing, and so people are back to looking for solutions in the snacking category.” – Steve Ware

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Ware and what brought him to the blueberry category.
Innovations in blueberry snacking, including bento boxes, Berry Buddies, snack packs and more.
Future innovations, market trends and emerging value-added products.
How varieties are changing the game and enabling the next wave of value-added blueberry foods.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru, Andres Armstrong in Chile and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on November 29, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by blueberry producer and innovative farmer Sam Gray, and Laina Gray, U.S. operations manager for FineField. Sam is the farm manager for his family’s business, PineBloom Farms, in Albany, Georgia. He created a process for using FineField’s Harvy 500 and the Burro automated cart to improve blueberry harvest efficiencies. Laina has firsthand experience with the Harvy 500, FineField’s solar-powered robotic autonomous harvester. Together, they share insights on this collaboration and the benefits it offers blueberry producers when it comes to future automated processes.

“So, I had no idea that we were going to use them both in tandem. It just seemed easier and maybe less wear and tear on everybody kind of involved in the operation. And then also the benefit … with the Harvy is as we're continually loading and unloading the fruit, it is probably not being in the heat off the bush for more than 10 to 15 minutes because it's going off the machine, it's getting palletized, and it's immediately being put in a refrigerated trailer. So, it just helps with getting that fruit to a temperature where if it does have bruising or if it does have defects, it will kind of slow the decay.” — Sam Gray

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Sam and Laina, and their work in the blueberry industry.
The motivations and the process Sam used for incorporating automation into his operation.
The benefits and challenges of using two unique automated technologies during harvest.

Watch this video to see the automated machines working in tandem.

Crop Report

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by USHBC Compliance Coordinator Crystal Wills. In her role as compliance coordinator, Wills ensures the timely and fair collection of all assessments from imported and domestic blueberry production. USHBC assessment forms are due Nov. 30, and Wills walks listeners through the process of completing the forms, shares available resources to help with questions and explains the penalties levied if the deadline is not met.

“The law requires that the grower or importer of record, if you have over 2,000 pounds of berries, you're going to pay nine-tenths of a penny per pound or 18 per ton, and that's going to be on fresh and frozen berries. This is going to come into the USHBC, and that's going to be for the purposes of research and promotion. So we're making sure that that's happening across the board.” – Crystal Wills

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Wills and her role with USHBC.
An exploration of the process producers and handlers should use to submit the required forms and declare their production numbers.
How the assessment is calculated, and what values need to be used and verified to calculate total production.
How to avoid penalties for late submissions or incomplete payments.

Contact Wills directly with any questions at cwills@nabcblues.org

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on November 8, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by the Executive Director of theIR-4 Project, Jerry Baron, Ph.D., and NABC Director of Government Affairs Alyssa Houtby. The IR-4 Project was established in 1963 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and land-grant universities to ensure that specialty crop farmers have legal access to safe and effective crop protection products. Baron has been the IR-4 Project's executive director since September 2006. Alyssa Houtby works closely with the NABC’s Government Affairs Committee to identify and advance the industry's public policy goals through the council’s advocacy platform.

“The reason why the program exists is because the companies that register products … focus their research and development area on crops that give them a large and rapid return on investments, i.e. they go after corn, soybeans, cotton, so on and so forth. The specialty crops … don't have access to those products. And one of the things we do as a government organization is we go out there and develop the data to show what type of residues remain on the crop at harvest.” – Jerry Baron, Ph.D.

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Baron and Houtby and their work.
An exploration of the purpose of the IR-4 Project, and why it’s important to blueberry producers for a number of reasons, including the expansion of global exportation opportunities.
A discussion of the challenges faced by regulatory agencies in labeling inputs, and the work the IR-4 Project is doing to support specialty crop producers.

Learn more at ir4project.org

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on November 1, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Steve Magami, Agrovision’s co-founder and executive chair. Agrovision is a leading vertically integrated global healthy snacking superfruit platform with operations in Perú, Mexico, Morocco, Chile, Romania, China, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Egypt and the United Kingdom. You can hear Magami’s previous appearances on the show in episodes 115 and 166.

“We're seeing the opportunity to continue to develop cutting-edge software technology to deliver this consistent, high-quality experience year-round. We're working hard on the times of the year when our volumes of that better berry are not as strong as the strongest times of year, really to get it to a consistent level of volume.” – Steve Magami

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Magami and his work at Agrovision.
An exploration of Agrovision’s strategy and global efforts to create a year-round supply of blueberries.
The potential to grow the appeal of various blueberry snacks with consumers.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on October 24, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC) is joined by Kevin Hamilton, USHBC’s vice president of communications and marketing, and Haiying Zhang, USHBC’s director of global business development. Zhang previously represented growers and stakeholders in the U.S. pistachio industry. As senior director of global marketing, she was responsible for executing marketing programs and budgeting in export markets, supervising public relations firms and overseeing USDA grant programs.

“If you look at what is global business development, it really is a process of identifying and pursuing opportunities, with the goal to expand the operations or your reach in new international markets. And so at USHBC, my role is really … to expand the global trade for blueberries by increasing consumption in international markets.” – Haiying Zhang

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Zhang and her role with USHBC.
Details on the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP) funding USHBC has been awarded to support next year’s market expansion.
The opportunities USHBC representatives discovered at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica conference.
How to connect with Zhang (hzhang@blueberry.org) to get involved in the global market expansion for blueberries

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Andres Armstrong in Chile and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on October 17, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by April Stull, Ph.D. RDN, associate professor of nutrition sciences in the Department of Human Sciences and Design at Baylor University, and Leslie Wada, Ph.D., senior director of nutrition and health research at USHBC. Stull's work has furthered the reputation of and appreciation for the health benefits of blueberries, and USHBC’s health research program. Stull also authored a paper outlining the health benefits of blueberries, and she and Wada discuss the findings and impact this research can have.

“I'm particularly excited about investigating the health benefits of blueberries across different populations and their role in meeting nutritional needs throughout the lifecycle. So this includes studying their impact on children, older adults, underserved populations and individuals from various racial and ethnic backgrounds.” – April Stull, Ph.D., RDN

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Stull and her work.
A discussion of her recently published research paper which highlights the impact of blueberries on overall health outcomes.
An exploration of proposed future research projects that would continue to investigate the many health benefits of blueberries.

For more information, see additional research by Dr. Stull on blueberries and endothelial function and blueberries and insulin sensitivity.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on October 3, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” you’ll hear a live recording of U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and North American Blueberry Council (NABC) President Kasey Cronquist’s keynote address to the blueberry industry, which was recorded live at the 2024 Blueberry Summit in Denver. He was joined by Brad Moorer, CEO of MBG Marketing, blueberry grower Michael Hill and USHBC Chair Shelly Hartmann. Cronquist and his guests discuss the value of continued investment in the USHBC and the industry’s potential expansion.

“You have the USHBC … where you can collectively bring everybody together to pull the biggest lever that you have to bring consumers back to the category or to the category for the first time in such a way that helps lift demand. And that helps everybody. And that's why USHBC got started in the first place: There was vision in what was going to need to happen in order to handle the circumstances. And, today, we're in different circumstances. We're at a crossroad.” – Kasey Cronquist

Topics covered include:

The need for an increased assessment for the blueberry industry.
The industry’s perspective on what it will take to continue to expand blueberry demand globally, and the best strategy to accomplish this task.
A grower's perspective on the proposed increased assessment, and the need this investment meets for producers in the industry.
The goals of the USHBC, what an increased assessment will provide for the organization, and how an increased assessment will help USHBC better support blueberry producers.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Dr. Frank Wong, director of stakeholder relations at Bayer, and Alyssa Houtby, NABC director of government affairs. Before joining Bayer, Wong was an associate specialist in cooperative extension and a plant pathologist at the University of California, Riverside. He has also served as the American Phytopathological Society's subject matter expert for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), providing information on plant diseases and disease management. Wong and Houtby discuss upcoming changes to EPA policies regarding pesticide and herbicide use.

“It's the public's problem. It is the grower's problem. It is the pesticide manufacturer's problem. And it is EPA’s problem. If we don't figure out a way to solve this, that means that essentially the majority of pesticides … registrations could be vacated … . And for sure a lot of the efforts that I think blueberry growers should be doing right now is just being aware that all this is happening, and there are opportunities right now for their input to change the policy.” – Dr. Frank Wong

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Wong and Houtby and their work.
A discussion of the changes to EPA policies regarding pesticide and herbicide use that could impact blueberry producers.
Where to learn more about the Endangered Species Act (WSSA.net) and how to view a story map that covers the evolution of the ESA and its intersection and interaction with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from TJ Hafner in Oregon, Luis Vegas in Peru, and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on September 19, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Michael La Kier, vice president of brand development at the Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA). IGA is the largest affiliation of independent grocers in the U.S. and worldwide, with 1,700 U.S. stores and over 6,200 stores globally. They have thousands of independents across the U.S. working together as one entity to give access to affordable technology, programs and partnerships with the world's top consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers and service providers. Our shopper team has teamed up with IGA to help share blueberry value with consumers.

“So you have to think through in a very disciplined, strategic way of what's the point of inspiration and how do I activate it? What's that point of decision, and then point of transaction to be holistic about it? Which is what I love that you guys have started to do in terms of thinking through what is the retail strategy, not just how do we create awareness for blueberries.” – Michael La Kier

Topics covered include:

An introduction to La Kier.
An exploration of the strategies and efforts underway by IGA on behalf of the berry industry.
The impact of the Organic Produce Summit and the insights we can gain from it for the blueberry industry.
How the blueberry industry can collaborate with IGA now and into the future.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru, Alan Schreiber in Washington and Brody Schropp in Michigan. This was recorded on September 12, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by MBG Marketing CEO Brad Moorer. MBG Marketing is a producer-owned blueberry and blackberry cooperative that was formed in 1936 as the Michigan Blueberry Growers Association. They have since expanded their membership to several other states, and today have over 200 growers, making them the largest marketer of fresh and processed, cultivated blueberries in North America. Moorer has previously joined our podcast on episode 108 and episode 109. He returns now to talk about leadership, marketing and his views on where the industry is headed and where it needs to go.

“We have the data today to manage more effectively than we did in the past and that certainly helped drive improved results on both the sales side and the expense management side. But we have had this headwind of inflationary environment that we've been operating in, and I think we'll all be glad to see if that ever goes back to more of a normal or at least a consistency where we could plan. … This is a long-term business, and you've gotta take that horizon when you get emotional about what's going on in the short term.” – Brad Moorer

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Moorer and his work.
An exploration of the progress and market expansion MBG Marketing has provided Michigan Growers.
A look at the new research agreement between Berry Blue (an MBG Marketing company) and the University of Florida Blueberry Breeding Program.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from T.J. Hafner in Oregon and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on September 5, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Michigan State University Associate Professor Tim Miles and NABC Director of Government Affairs Alyssa Houtby.. Miles is an associate professor in the Small Fruit and Hop Pathology Laboratory who has teamed up with researchers across the U.S. to study the management of anthracnose and botritus fruit rot in blueberries. Houtby works closely with the NABC Government Affairs Committee, and is also focused on funding and technical assistance opportunities for projects that improve blueberry production and market access.

“I'd love to improve fruit quality and improve shelf life and improve some of the environmental aspects of growing blueberries. We do have a lot of really great tools and synthetic pesticides that we've been working on for a long time, and there's been a lot of innovation in bio fungicides.” – Tim Miles

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Miles and Houtby.
A discussion of the projects Miles has organized and contributed to, and how they impact the blueberry industry.
An exploration of a project dubbed “BLUE DYNAMO,” and what it offers producers and researchers as far as opportunities to collaborate and integrate new protocols.

Crop Report

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), welcomes several fellows from Class Two of the Blueberry Industry Leadership Program to discuss their experiences with the program and their most recent trip to observe the Peruvian blueberry industry. You’ll hear from Kat Morales, inbound and outbound administrator for Camposo; Chad Don, Oasis Blueberry business manager; and Kyle Straughn,managing owner and CEO of Straughn Farms. Joining them is Amanda Griffin, USHBC and NABC vice president of engagement, and the designer of the Blueberry Industry Leadership Program.

“The leadership development umbrella really stems from listening to leadership experts talk about their experiences and guiding the fellows in their individual leadership journeys, as well as introducing the fellows to other folks within the industry to broaden the scope and create more networking opportunities for the class, which ultimately … creates more retention of these leaders to stay within the blueberry industry and further drive the blueberry sector down the road.” — Amanda Griffin

Topics covered include:

An introduction to a few Blueberry Leadership Program Fellows.
The purpose, intent and goals of the program.
The fellows’ recent trip to Peru.
How to learn more about the Blueberry Industry Leadership Program.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Jason Smith in British Columbia, Alan Schreiber in Washington, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Brody Schropp in Michigan and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on August 22, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC), welcomes back Cort Brazelton of Fall Creek Farms and Nursery. The conversation covers key developments in global blueberry production, especially in Peru, and discusses the role of new genetics in addressing growers’ challenges. Cronquist and Brazelton also share their perspectives on what’s ahead for blueberry production, the potential of automation in harvesting, and the importance of industry collaboration to drive consumer demand and category segmentation.

“The next phase for our industry is category segmentation, and my hope is that we can do a better job in service of our customers in empowering that. We hope that everyone does that. We would love to see our competitors do that. We have an opportunity to make the pie bigger.” – Cort Brazelton

Topics covered include:

Important developments in global blueberry production, particularly in Peru.
The role of new genetics in addressing the needs of growers and consumers.
What’s ahead for blueberry production, and the importance of industry collaboration to drive consumer demand.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from TJ Hafner in Oregon. This was recorded on August 8, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Luis Vegas, general manager of Proarándanos, the Peruvian Blueberry Growers and Exporters Association. They discuss the significant impacts of the El Niño phenomenon on Peru's blueberry production, the industry's strategic shift towards more resilient varieties and Proarándanos' role in promoting and supporting Peru's blueberry exports. The conversation also covers the potential of the Chinese market, logistical improvements and opportunities for global blueberry demand.

“We are seeing July, August and maybe some part of September with a volume similar to last year, so still this year we are expecting a late peak. And also (we are) very excited because in Peru right now we're going through a phase of a lot of switching varieties. So, we are seeing new varieties coming into commercial production and I think that's going to be exciting for the market.” – Luis Vegas

Topics covered include:

The continued impacts of last year’s El Niño phenomenon on Perurvian blueberry production.
A glimpse at the forecast for this season’s production in Peru.
Efforts in Peru to build a more resilient blueberry industry that can continue to satisfy growing world demand.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Brody Schropp in Michigan, Alan Schreiber in Washington, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Jason Smith in British Columbia and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on August 1, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Alvaro Luque, president and CEO of Avocados From Mexico. Luque brings over 30 years of experience in the marketing field to his role with avocados. His strategic vision has not only propelled Avocados From Mexico to its current status as a globally recognized brand, but has also made it a beacon of environmental responsibility in the agricultural industry. He’s renowned for spotlighting the famous jingle “Avocados From Mexico” in the 49th Super Bowl Commercial in 2015.

“It takes money to make money … . We use a good part of our dollars to create promotions and create that acceleration of the market that we need, but we are also sure to create the value and this brand story and the emotions around it so consumers can feel confident paying whatever price they need to pay to get our category and our brand. And the only way of doing that is by doing good marketing and by keeping good quality in our product.” – Alvaro Luque

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Alvaro Luque, president and CEO of Avocados From Mexico.
A look at the goals and successes of the “Avocados from Mexico” campaign.
The strategy and journey Luque explored while building the avocado market globally.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Jason Smith in British Columbia and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on July 25, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Walmart Merchandising Director Melissa Byland. As one of the world’s largest blueberry buyers, Walmart relies on experts like Byland to ensure customers receive great quality and value with each purchase. Byland plays a pivotal role in understanding and fulfilling customer needs, and ensuring that the highest quality produce reaches shoppers nationwide.

“I think when you have a full case full of fresh berries, I believe that sets the tone for the entire customer's experience within the produce department. And so not only is Walmart focused on produce. Walmart is really, really focused on making sure that we carry the best quality, have great availability for our customers every day, because it really does set the tone.” — Melissa Byland

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Melissa Byland, Walmart merchandising director and a keynote speaker at the 2024 Blueberry Convention in Tucson.
An exploration of the value Walmart puts on the “berry patch” in their stores, and the quality expectation they provide to customers.
The various opportunities and obstacles for marketing blueberries to increase consumption in the Walmart produce department.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Jason Smith in British Columbia, Brody Schropp in Michigan, Luis Vegas in Peru and T.J. Hafner in Oregon. This was recorded on July 18, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Chad Reenders, a fourth generation farmer who has been growing blueberries with his family since 2006. He recently started his own blueberry farm, and he farms 120 acres with his brother-in-law. Last year, Vegetable Growers News included Reenders on their list of Fruit + Vegetable 40 Under 40. Reenders is also the president of the Michigan Blueberry Advisory Committee and a passionate advocate for Michigan farmers.

“So in farming, it's risky, right? We're pretty much gambling every day with our money, with our income and with all the inputs we put in our farms. And in Michigan, I think two years ago, we were only at about 25% that were covered under some kind of crop insurance. I really wanted to push that number higher. I felt like we could at least get to 50%, if not more, of our growers being covered. I want to make sure that our blueberry growers are covered for the input costs and everything they have out in the field.” – Chad Reenders

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Reenders, a fourth generation farmer and president of the Michigan Blueberry Advisory Committee.
Reenders efforts to promote crop insurance among blueberry growers, and the network he called on to make that happen.
What the Michigan blueberry industry looks like today and where it’s headed.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today, you’ll hear from T.J. Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Jason Smith in British Columbia, Jody McPherson in North Carolina and Matt Macrie in New Jersey. This was recorded on July 11, 2024.

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Hello, all you blueberry enthusiasts! We will be back next month in July, just in time for National Blueberry Month. We have a jam-packed schedule full of guests from all different backgrounds. In the meantime, here is the latest crop report for you to listen to. We will be back again very soon!

Go, Blueberries!

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Todd Eagan, a former lead berry buyer with Costco’s fresh produce department and current consultant with Good Farms. You may remember him as a distinguished speaker at one of our virtual events in 2020 where he presented “In Search of the Perfect Blueberry.” Eagan shares industry trends and gives insight into how to capture more of the fresh produce market.

“I'm a big believer in the free market, and I think consumers are smart. They don't want to spend their dollars, and nothing was worse to me than when you didn't hit expectations. Let's find a way to try to meet expectations wherever we can and so always kinda chasing that … let's make sure that we can do everything we can to exceed expectations of the consumer rather than disappoint.” - Todd Eagan

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Eagan and his reflections on the state of the berry industry over the last few decades.
Eagan’s overall career in the berry industry and his extensive experience in retail produce.
Eagan’s take on the blueberry industry’s successes and possible historical shortcomings.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Jaqueline Nakashian with the California Blueberry Commission, Matt Macrie from New Jersey, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on May 30, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined again by Steve Mantle of Innov8 Ag and the BerrySmartProject. We previously heard from Mantle in episodes 44, 100 and 133. He joins us in this episode to share the latest details on the BerrySmart project, his insights on harvest automation and what the future holds for his work with blueberries.

“The focus really was to bring together the growers, the researchers and the tech providers to help with optimizing blueberry farming operations, with a focus on soils, nutrients, yield, distribution, weather, chemicals, nutrients and, all importantly, labor. … And, so, weaving that together is the journey.” - Steve Mantle

Topics covered include:

The latest and greatest on the BerrySmartProject and the benefits it’s providing to blueberry producers industrywide.
Advances in leaf sampling for evaluating the health, nutrients and mineral availability present in both new and old plant growth.
Mantle’s insights on harvest innovations.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Elise Oliver in California, and Brody Schropp in Michigan. This was recorded on May 16, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Bruce Popko, chief executive officer of Major League Pickleball. Popko discusses the growth of pickleball, the professional league that he leads, and why blueberries and pickleball belong on the same court together. The USHBC is thrilled to be one of the first sponsors of Major League Pickleball, joining some of the world’s largest and most recognizable brands in leveraging pickleball’s unique consumer reach.

“The cool part is that inherently you've got a fun fruit and we've got a fun experience. So smashing those together in meaningful ways… I think there's just a lot of fun to be had in the relationship.” - Bruce Popko

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Popko.
A description of the meteoric growth pickleball has experienced and the continued growth it’s expected to achieve.
An explanation of how pickleball aligns with USHBC’s mission to make blueberries the world’s favorite fruit!

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Brittany Lee in Florida, Matt Macrie in New Jersey, Pat Goin in Indiana, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Jody McPherson in North Carolina and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on May 9, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined byAmanda Griffin, vice president of engagement and education at USHBC and NABC. Cronquist and Griffin reflect on The Blueberry Convention, share the feedback they received from participants and make a big announcement about future blueberry events.

“The change is we are going to smush over the convention to the fall and essentially take away the summit, and have one large event in the fall called The Blueberry Convention. …It's an opportunity to celebrate the end of the season, gather everybody together, and that is where we will grow the trade show floor to have more expansive education offerings and more opportunities for folks to gather and to meet.” – Amanda Griffin

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Griffin and her efforts as vice president of engagement and education.
Comments and reflections from the most recent Blueberry Convention.
The future of USHBC and NABC events.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, TJ Hafner in Oregon and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on April 25, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Bruce Popko, chief executive officer of Major League Pickleball. Popko discusses the growth of pickleball, the professional league that he leads, and why blueberries and pickleball belong on the same court together. The USHBC is thrilled to be one of the first sponsors of Major League Pickleball, joining some of the world’s largest and most recognizable brands in leveraging pickleball’s unique consumer reach.

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Popko.
A description of the meteoric growth pickleball has experienced and the continued growth it’s expected to achieve.
An explanation of how pickleball aligns with USHBC’s mission to make blueberries the world’s favorite fruit!

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, Elise Oliver in California, TJ Hafner in Oregon and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on April 11, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined bySteve Magami, co-founder and executive chair of AgroVision, a vertically integrated grower, packer, shipper and marketer of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and table grapes. Recently having celebrated its 10-year anniversary, Agrovision is one of the world’s fastest growing producers and year-round supplier of superfruits, with nearly $300 million in sales. Magami first appeared on “The Business of Blueberries” in episode 115.

“We've been on a mission to transform lives while we evolve in our journey to inspire consumers to live a more nutritious and healthy lifestyle. As I look back, I’m proud of our commitment to sustainability and the impact we've made, proud of our commitment to quality and the impact we've made on consumers, and I think we've just scratched the surface. It's already showing me the impact we can make together as an industry if we put the right quality on the shelf consistently through the year.” – Steve Magami

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Magami and his work.
A discussion of the reach, growth and success of AgroVision in securing global markets in the berry and table grape industry.
An exploration of the obstacles to different berry varieties and AgroVision’s response.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today, you’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, Brody Schropp in Michigan, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on April 4, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined byDavid Jackson, founder of Family Tree Farms, alongside his sons and son-in-law. Today, they’re a family-owned fruit grower, packer and shipper based in Reedley, California, with additional locations in Peru, Mexico, and Africa. Jackson serves on the NABC Board of Directors and the United Blueberry Advisory Committee, and joins us to share his perspectives on quality, flavor, genetics, marketing and the future of our industry.

“Our mission statement is to consistently produce, package and market the most flavorful fruit in the world. We say that because we know who we sell to, but we always keep in mind that our end customer is that consumer, that person, who puts that fruit in their mouth and says, ‘Wow, that's the most flavorful thing. That's the best thing I've ever eaten.’ We have chosen to differentiate ourselves with flavor, and that comes down to just genetics.” – David Jackson

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Jackson and Family Tree Farms.
An exploration of Jackson’s blueberry operation and how they pursue it from the soil up through genetics.
A discussion of Family Tree Farms’ journey in the blueberry industry over the years, the challenges they’ve faced and the changes they’ve made.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Daniel Bustamante in Peru. This was recorded on March 14, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined byJorge Andres Varela, president of Agroberries. Agroberries is a vertically integrated berry producer and marketer with a large worldwide presence and a portfolio of exclusive proprietary genetic varieties. Varela discusses their expansion with Berry Fresh, a marketing arm in the Americas, as well as their recent investment in BerryWorld.

“We have to be united. There's sometimes a little bit of tension between different growing regions, but finally, we're all looking for the same thing. We're looking to increase consumption, to offer a better product to consumers, and I think we have to work together. … An industry that works together is going to be much more successful than everyone doing their own thing on their own.” – Jorge Andres Varela

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Varela.
The expansion and growth of Agroberries, Berry Fresh and the recent investment they’ve made in BerryWorld.
Varela’s take on expanding the value, quality and consumption of blueberries worldwide.

Crop Report

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Ryan Ellison, produce category manager at Food City, and Joshua Essenburg, category manager at SpartanNash. Both of these retailers participated in a panel at the Blueberry Summit in Savannah last fall where they discussed “Insights and Opportunities for Selling Fresh Blueberries in Retail.” Together, they discuss the opportunity and potential they see in the blueberry market from the perspective of a retailer.

“Our cross-merchandising on blueberries has really evolved a lot and, as that's evolved, so has the way we advertise them and promote them.” - Joshua Essenburg

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Ellison and Essenburg and their work.
A discussion of the potential these retailers see in the blueberry industry and the many uses for blueberries that customers can enjoy.
Strategies and encouragement retailers can use to support blueberry consumption.

Visit blueberryevents.org to learn more and register for the Blueberry Convention, Feb. 28- March 1 in Tucson, Arizona.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Daniel Bustamante in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on February 15, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined byUSHBC Chair Shelly Hartmann. As lifelong residents of Southwest Michigan, Shelly and Dennis Hartmann are the owners of True Blue Farms in Grand Junction. Established in 1988, True Blue Farms has grown substantially to 10 subsidiaries, including hundreds of acres of production and the popular Blueberry Store in downtown South Haven. In addition to being the USHBC chair, Hartmann is the past president of the Michigan Frozen Food Packers Association. She penned an inspiring story of her rise to success in the book Chicken Soup for the Entrepreneurial Soul.

“I think what I'm most proud of in 2023 is I saw a lot of people that you may not see work together roll up their sleeves and start working together for the betterment of the industry, and not for the betterment of them or their organization. They put that stuff aside and they really looked at our blueberry industry and they made the best decisions … for our industry, and that made me feel really proud because it's like one big happy blueberry family. ” - Shelly Hartmann

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Shelly Hartmann, USHBC chair, “Blueberry Chicks” podcaster and co-owner of True Blue Farms.
An exploration of 2023 USHBC highlights and a discussion of what’s coming in 2024.

Visit blueberryevents.org to learn more and register for The Blueberry Convention Feb. 28-March 1 in Tucson, Arizona.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined byRachel Petraglia, culinary specialist for the fifth largest school nutrition program in the nation at the Georgia Department of Education. Petraglia spent almost 14 years working for the Gwinnett School Nutrition Program, developing recipes and menus for the district’s 182,000 students. While working for Gwinnett, she facilitated a blueberry partnership through the Culinary Institute of America’s Healthy Kids Collaborative program, and helped develop several new menu items featuring frozen blueberries.

“I think that when you use fruit like blueberries and incorporate them into breakfast staples, you end up with a product that is really delicious. That's where I want to see school nutrition and school breakfast get to. That's the direction I believe it's going to start moving in. ” - Rachel Petraglia

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Petraglia and her work for the Georgia Department of Education.
An explanation of the collaboration between local school districts and the blueberry industry, and how students responded to it.
What Petraglia sees for the future of school nutrition and how she is getting students excited about this progress.

Visit blueberryevents.org to learn more and register for the Blueberry Convention, Feb. 28-March 1 in Tucson, Arizona.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Daniel Bustamante in Peru, Andres Armstrong in Chile and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on January 18, 2024.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by David Krause, CEO of Frutura. Recently, this California-based fruit sales and marketing company announced it was acquiring two berry businesses: Sun Belle and Giddings Fruits. Before joining Frutura, Krause served as president of Wonderful Citrus, the largest integrated grower, packer and shipper of fresh citrus in the world, with 58,000+ acres of company-owned-and-operated farmland in California, Texas and Mexico.

“You just have to have a pulse to understand what the potential consumption and how much the growth in this particular area has been. When you're in fresh produce and you think about, you know, the growing categories, you have to be in blueberries, right? It's just so much runway, and at the same time, it's such an interesting space.” – David Krause

Topics covered include:

An exploration of Krause’s journey in agriculture and how it led to his leadership role at Frutura.
A look at how Frutura’s expansion into berries could contribute to the industry.
Krause’s perspective on the power of up-and-coming blueberry genetics, and the trajectory he feels the blueberry industry is on.

Crop Report

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Chelsea Consalo, vice president of operations for Consalo Family Farms in New Jersey, and Ellie Norris, owner/manager of Norris Blueberry Farms in Oregon. Consalo is a fourth-generation producer and serves on the New Jersey Blueberry Industry Advisory Council. Norris is a second-generation blueberry grower and packer who leads a fresh pack operation. They join us to talk about the future of the blueberry industry from the perspective of the next generation of blueberry leaders.

“I think people don't realize how much of a full-time job produce is, don't really realize what it takes to get crops from the farm to the table and don't realize what's involved. Because we're vertically integrated, we have a hand in all parts of it.” - Chelsea Consalo

“If we continue to open up markets around the world, we're going to open up demand for blueberries, and specifically U.S. blueberries. … There is a great demand for the quality fruit that the U.S. produces into a lot of countries out there.” -Ellie Norris

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Consalo and Norris.
A look into the experiences of these next-generation blueberry producers and their dedication to the industry.
A discussion of what Consalo and Norris think the future of blueberries looks like.

Crop Report

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Chef Nate Weir, vice president of culinary at Modern Market Eatery and a champion of including blueberries on menus. After culinary school Weir worked in full-service, ingredient-driven restaurants in Boulder, and was the sous chef at Salt Bistro, 5280 Magazine’s “Best New Restaurant” in 2009. He joined the Modern Market team in 2011 as its first chef and “corporate” employee. In 12 years growing the Modern Market brand, he has worn many hats – from purchasing and food cost to developing systems for training and operations. He has also led culinary efforts at Lemonade, a trend-setting California fast-casual restaurant, where he completed a full reboot of the colorful, unique menu and hand-crafted beverage program.

“We like to take a good fresh ingredient like blueberries and try not to overthink it. It provides a ton of versatility on the menu. It's extremely flexible in the ways that we can use it. Guests love it and best of all, it's extremely good for you too. So it really checks all the boxes.” - Nate Weir

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Chef Weir and his work.
A discussion of the versatility and advantages of bringing blueberries to menus, and how Chef Weir makes that happen.

Crop Report

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by NABC Director of Government Affairs Alyssa Houtby. Houtby leads the NABC’s advocacy efforts and works closely with Monument Advocacy, the council’s Washington, D.C.-based lobbying firm. She shares the current state of the Farm Bill and discusses what specialty producers have to look forward to.

“We're well positioned with members of Congress and the administration to deliver for specialty crop producers. I think there's more interest than there ever has been in the past. We've got members on the House and Senate Ag Committee that represent states that are heavy into specialty crops. In the past, you may have seen more representation from your middle-America, row-crop producing states.” - Alyssa Houtby

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Houtby and her role with NABC.
The efforts and successes of the NABC’s advocacy on U.S. policy.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Daniel Bustamante in Peru. This was recorded on November 23, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by David Magaña of Rabobank, who is responsible for covering and analyzing the U.S. and North American fresh fruit and vegetable industries. Tune in to learn about what’s happening with blueberry supply and demand globally, trends in the fresh and frozen markets, and what Magaña sees as the drivers that will impact blueberry economics in the future.

“Over the past decade, global fresh blueberry exports expanded steadily, driven by (a) diversifying base of growing regions … countries with the highest growth rates in recent years include Peru, South Africa, Morocco, Mexico, Poland and Spain. (The) 2023-24 marketing season will be the first marketing year in recent history to see a negative year-on-year variation in global exports.” - David Magaña

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Magaña and his role with Rabobank.
A look at his updated global blueberry report (Blueberry Update 2023: Operational efficiency and premiumization will transform the blueberry industry).
What Magaña sees for the future of the blueberry industry, and what producers and stakeholders have to look forward to.

Crop Report

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Andres Armstrong, executive director of the Chilean Blueberry Committee, to discuss the current season in Chile, the impact of the drop in Peruvian production and the future of blueberries in the region. Armstrong was also featured in episode 22, episode 75 and episode 134, as well as in several crop reports.

“We are trying to work with our members, with the Chilean Blueberry Committee members, taking this opportunity to really prove to the market that Chile is a consistent, reliable supplier. Looking into the future, not specifically to this season, we want to be in the market in the coming years too.” - Andres Armstrong

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Armstrong and his work for the Chilean Blueberry Committee.
The impact the Peruvian blueberry disruption is having on other South American blueberry markets.
The future of the Chilean blueberry industry, and the volume of high-quality blueberries it’s capable of producing.

Crop Report

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Lisa Wasko DeVetter, Ph.D., associate professor for small fruits at Washington State University’s (WSU) Mount Vernon Research Center. Since joining WSU in 2014, Devetter has developed a diverse research and extension program, with an emphasis on maximizing productivity, fruit quality and on-farm efficiencies. Her primary research areas include optimizing pollination services in small-fruit crops, improved end-of-life management of agricultural plastics used in small-fruit crop production, machine harvesting technologies and nutrient management.

“Many growers have probably and unfortunately experienced episodes where they've had poor pollination and it means reduced fruit set, berry size and yields. So, taking a step back, what pollination is, is it's a precursor for fruit development in blueberries. We also see this relationship that the better pollination we receive the improvement in berry size as well, to a threshold, to a point. Larger berry size is really critical, not just for quality, but also for growers to try to meet their yield potential.” - Lisa Wasko DeVetter, Ph.D.

You can also tune into DeVetter’s first appearance on “The Business of Blueberries” in episode 104, where she discusses the extreme weather events impacting blueberry crop in the Northwest.

Topics covered include:

An exploration of the significance and importance of pollination, specifically in fruit production.
The factors that influence and impact pollination practices and successes.
The ongoing research underway related to blueberry pollination efforts, and what the future may hold.

Crop Report

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), recaps the recent Blueberry Summit held in Savannah, Georgia, and highlights a couple of award-winning industry leaders. In this episode, we share the acceptance speeches of Ridley Bell who received the Duke Galletta Award, and John Shelford who received the Alex Weatherbee Award, as well discussing the inaugural inductees into the NABC Hall of Fame.

“It's just been a tremendous ride with tremendous friends and many of you here I've known for years. I've been privileged to be able to still hang around. … We've been blessed immensely and we've seen a lot of changes, and I hope we've led some of those changes.” - John Shelford

Topics covered include:

Offering congratulations to Ridley Bell for winning the Duke Galletta Award and John Shelford for winning the Alex Weatherbee Award.
Celebrating the first inductees into the NABC Hall of Fame – Denny Doyle and Art Galletta.
Honoring these award recipients by exploring the wisdom they shared in their acceptance speeches.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on October 11, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Kevin Hamilton, vice president of global marketing for USHBC. Hamilton has over 20 years of marketing experience with a number of brands and commodities, and is bringing that expertise to the blueberry industry. In this episode, Hamilton and Cronquist discuss the current state of blueberry marketing promotion programs and the opportunities ahead to empower the industry to make blueberries the world’s favorite fruit.

“ The notion of 'world's favorite fruit' … favorite is an adjective that is associated with a point of view; with an attitude inside a person's mind. We're not going to get there just trying to sell blueberries. We're not going to get to that notion of favorite fruit. We need to impact how people think about that fruit as they're buying it. Think about that fruit as they're consuming it, right? We need to merge that with the market side of things.” - Kevin Hamilton

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Hamilton and his new role with USHBC.
What Hamilton brings to the blueberry industry based on his background in consumer packaged goods (CPG), his role with Avocados from Mexico and other marketing roles.
The importance of data and understanding the consumer’s thought process in global marketing efforts.
The barriers and opportunities ahead for growing the volume and value of blueberries globally.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Lisa Coleman, director of healthy living for Giant Food, which includes 166 supermarkets in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and Washington, D.C. As the leader of Giant's Healthy Living Team of credentialed nutrition professionals, Coleman helps guide an inclusive, all-foods-fit approach to educating and inspiring the community Giant serves through classes, store tours, workplace wellness programs, cook-alongs, social media engagement and a biweekly podcast, “Healthy Living by Giant.”

“We have this kind of rallying cry that health is for everyone. It doesn't have to be exclusive or expensive. We really like to show people that there's healthy foods in every aisle of our stores and healthy living isn't perfect. It's not all or nothing. It's about the little things that you do everyday that support your health.” - Lisa Coleman

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Coleman and her role with Giant Food.
An exploration of Coleman’s journey from in-store nutritionist to head of health strategy and health initiatives.
A discussion of the partnerships, collaborations and projects Giant Food is pursuing to spread the healthy eating, healthy living message.
A look at food and produce prescriptions, and the impact they have on grocery purchases.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Ross Peterson, the newly appointed director of finance at USHBC. Peterson explains how the USHBC is funded, the assessment process and some changes that are underway.

“I get to hear life experiences. I get to hear how businesses are being run. It gives me a great insight as to what's happening in the industry. … I get to hear a lot of really fun stories in the mix of answering questions on how to fill out a form. … We get to spend a lot of time talking about families and kids and what it's like to transition a farm from generation to generation to generation.” - Ross Peterson

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Peterson and role at USHBC.
His journey from other prominent industries to the blueberry industry.
The value of the assessment process and how it will impact producers in the coming year.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Alan Schreiber in Washington and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on September 20, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Luis Vegas, general manager ofProarandanos, the Peruvian Blueberry Growers & Exporters Association. What started as a promising year for production in Peru has turned into an unpredictable reversal of forecasts. In this episode, we contextualize what’s happening there to better understand what this means for Peruvian blueberry stakeholders.

“El Niño phenomenon sometimes can have a global impact, but also sometimes can have a more regional impact. And in this case, it's more of a regional impact of El Niño, which is causing us to have warmer temperatures in the ocean. It's causing us to have warmer temperatures in the atmosphere. … The variety that is being more affected by this warmer weather, it's a variety called Ventura. It's the variety that has the largest acreage here in Peru. So in Peru there's approximately 6,000 hectares of Ventura, the variety that is being more affected, and this affects directly Peru's volumes.” - Luis Vegas

Topics covered include:

Reconnecting with Vegas and his work at Proarandanos.
The impact weather has had on blueberry production this year and what it could mean for future blueberry seasons in Peru.
Why Vegas is optimistic about the future of blueberry production and varieties in Peru.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from T.J. Hafner in Oregon, Jason Smith in British Columbia and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on September 13, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Rod Borden and Ben Bowditch of Lunds & Byerlys. Borden is the director of produce and Bowditch is the produce category manager for the grocery retailer that has 28 stores in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. Tune in to hear how National Blueberry Month and our power periods help keep blueberries top of mind with consumers thanks to support from retailers like Lunds & Byerlys.

“Our berry category runs about 18% of our distribution of our department, so it is by far our No. 1 category. When you talk about the berry piece of our business, it undoubtedly is the most important business that drives not only our quality perception, but I would say for us sales. ” – Rod Borden

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Borden and Bowditch, and Lunds & Byerlys.
An exploration of the blueberry industry from the retailer’s perspective.
Partnerships retailers can offer to producers.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Jason Smith in British Columbia, T.J. Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schrieber in Washington, Brody Schropp in Michigan and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on September 7, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Amanda Griffin, our VP of Industry Engagement and Education and Dr. Jennifer McEntire, founder of Food Safety Strategies. Amanda is leading our BerrySmart platform and helping us better address and provide leadership and resources for issues like food safety within our industry. In her more than 20 years in the industry, McEntire has become one of the most highly respected leaders in food safety, providing insights and guidance to member companies, regulatory partners and policy makers.

“The best thing I think we can do is teach people how to think about food safety risks, how to have an awareness and be able to make informed decisions when environments do change, when things are changing, and at least have that ability to ask the question, is this changing my food safety risk profile? To at least keep food safety part of the conversation and not allow for complacency. ” - Dr. Jennifer McEntire

Topics covered include:

Join Amanda Griffin, our VP of Industry Engagement and Education and Dr. Jennifer McEntire, founder of Food Safety Strategies
Explore food safety resources available to blueberry stakeholders

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru, T.J. Hafner in Oregon, Jason Smith in British Columbia and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on August 23, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Peter McPherson, general manager, Berry Category International, for Costa Group. For the first time in four years, the International Blueberry Organization was able to bring together blueberry industry stakeholders from around the world for a summit recently. McPherson shares his insights and experiences from the summit held in Poland this summer.

“Poland, this year, I think provides the best outline of all the activities that the blueberry industry needs to look at. All the challenges, where we are today, where we need to go, how we stack up in the berry business, and I think that was one of the underlying positives that came out.” - Peter McPherson

Topics covered include:

An introduction to McPherson and his work.
A discussion of McPherson’s insights and experiences from this summer’s International Blueberry Organization’s Summit.
A review of recent updates from Poland and Ukraine, and blueberry growth in that region.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from TJ Havner in Oregon, Brody Shcropp in Michigan, Jason Smith in British Columbia and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on August 16, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Brandon Casteel, SPINS vice president of channel and retail partnerships, and Joe Vargas, USHBC/NABC director of business intelligence. Last year's attitudes and usage study found that growers and retailers could benefit from more detailed blueberry sales information. This led USHBC to make the strategic decision to switch from Nielson to SPINS data. With the new SPINS contract, USHBC gets an improved understanding of blueberry sales performance in grocery retail relative to other produce items by pack-size, by brand and measured by household buying rate and volume.

“SPINS is a syndicated data provider. That's kind of fancy words for saying we track what is selling across hundreds of thousands of grocery stores all over the United States. … And then once we get that data, we're not done there, we add literally thousands of attributes on top of that information so that everyone can get smarter about what's on shelf, not just the retailers, but also the manufacturers, and then really everybody in the ecosystem.” - Brandon Casteel

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Casteel and Vargas.
A discussion of the value SPINS offers blueberry producers.
An explanation of the added insights SPINS provides and details on how blueberry stakeholders can access the data.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Jason Smith in British Columbia, Pat Goin in Indiana, Broady Schropp in Michigan, TJ Hafner in Oregon, and Alan Schreiber in Washington. This was recorded on August 9, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by two blueberry growers who are also members of our USHBC BerrySmart Technology Task Force: Paul Macrie of Macrie Bros. Blueberry Farms and Noel Sakuma of Sakuma Brothers. One of the highlights of The Blueberry Convention last February was showcasing the new technologies being developed for blueberry growers. Together, these industry stakeholders share their perspectives on upcoming technology for blueberry producers.

“As far as technologies and groups of people kind of coming together to make positive change for our industry, I would say the pollination category is doing a very good job at seeing the problems that are here and kind of trying to address them. … I think that we really need to figure out how to get them into fields and get people to get firsthand access to the technology, and to get researchers more involved with this whole project.” - Noel Sakuma

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Macrie and Sakuma.
A discussion of the advances being explored on BerrySmart Farms.
A look at the topics being addressed by the BerrySmart Technology Task Force.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from TJ Hafner in Oregon, Jason Smith in British Columbia and Brody Schropp in Michigan. This was recorded on August 2, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Brian Bocock, a Michigan blueberry grower and the vice president of product management at Naturipe Farms. Bocock also serves as vice chair of the USHBC Promotion Committee. We’ve made it an annual tradition to talk to Bocock and get his analysis and outlook on the blueberry market. Listeners may remember him from Episode 002, Episode 046 and Episode 097. Joining Bocock and Cronquist is Grant Prentice, director of strategic insights at Padilla FoodMinds. Prentice has been an instrumental partner on many USHBC strategic initiatives, and offers great insight into our efforts to drive demand today and into the future.

“As part of the Promotion Committee, one thing that we have focused on in July with retail, is doing some retail promotions to really help drive awareness in store in the consumer's face at the point of purchase time. …So that's a big deal over the next three or four weeks. I think that this is going to be the most critical point of the summer for domestic producers.” - Brian Bocock

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Bocock and Prentice.
A review of the USHBC Promotion Committee's efforts to promote blueberries during National Blueberry Month.
A glimpse into the future promotional opportunities the industry is preparing to pursue.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Pat Goin in Indiana, Jason Smith in British Columbia, Alan Schreiber in Washington, TJ Hafner in Oregon and Brody Schropp in Michigan. This was recorded on July 27, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Stephanie Stuckey, CEO of Stuckey’s Corporation and a Georgia pecan grower. Stuckey became CEO of Stuckey’s in November 2019 and is the third generation CEO of the family business, which not only produces and sells its iconic pecan candies and snacks, but also grows some of its own ingredients. Stuckey reinvented the brand and expanded it beyond its retail locations to e-commerce and other channels. She joins us to share her insights from this journey.

“I think a lot of people in the farming industry relate to this because often farms are passed down from generation to generation. … I loved my grandfather, and I didn't want his legacy to be a bunch of shuttered stores on the side of the highway that people would kind of point at and say, remember what that used to be? … I wanted to change our story, and it's so rare you get the chance to buy your family's business and bring it back to life. What a blessing and an honor that's been.” - Stephanie Stuckey

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Stuckey, her work and motivations.
A look at the third generation Stuckey Corporation and the rebranding of the business.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Brody Schropp in Michigan, Jason Smith in British Columbia, Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Jody McPherson in North Carolina. This was recorded on July 12, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Bruce Summers, administrator for the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). In this role, Summers works on policy issues and oversight of a variety of programs, including grading of commodities, the USDA Market News Service and the National Organic Program.Prior to being named the administrator, Summer served in the AMS’ Fruit & Vegetable Program.

“It's been a really rewarding career and, you know, working with people in the produce industry, they're kind of special. They're kind of unique. It's something about that perishable product that has to move very quickly to get to the market. And it just makes it different and exciting and dynamic.” - Bruce Summers

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Summers, and a discussion on his background and current role with the AMS.
An exploration of the benefits the AMS provides for producers.
A discussion of the protective properties and benefits the PACA trust provides for producers.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Alan Schreiber in Washington, Jason Smith in British Columbia, Brody Shropp in Michigan, Elise Oliver in California, Mario Ramirez in Mexico, Jody McPherson in North Carolina and Matt Macrie in New Jersey. This was recorded on July 5, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Josh Scheel of Scenic Fruit Company, Bryan Sakuma of Sakuma Brothers, Amy Nguyen of Dragonberry Produce, Todd Sanders of the California Blueberry Commission and Renata Dalton, USHBC director of business development. This esteemed group of industry leaders shares insights into the Japanese market for blueberries, and what Japanese consumers are looking for in a blueberry product. We also explore what exporters can expect and look for in partnering with Japanese distributors, and where producers can go to start developing connections and pathways into the Japanese blueberry market.

“You'll notice almost everything food related here has a very high attention to detail. …So with that, they expect very high-quality produce and blueberries, especially when you talk to buyers over here. They want to know variety. They want to know size. They want to know brix levels, pH, different things like that. So if you can really play up to that part and that strength of your crop and your processing methods, there's ways to have success here.” - Josh Scheel

Topics covered include:

An introduction to the podcast’s participants.
An exploration of the current Japanese blueberry market and a look at the potential for American growers.
Discussion of the path to building exporting partnerships with Japanese blueberry distributors for American producers.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Elise Oliver in California, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Pat Goin in Indiana, Matt Macrie in New Jersey and Derrin Wheeler in Georgia. This was recorded on June 21, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Joe Vargas, director of business intelligence at the USHBC and NABC, Joe Powell of Wish Farms and Michael Hill of H&A Farms. These industry leaders discuss the recently launched BerrySmart Insights Fresh Platform. The platform helps the industry more accurately measure production, inventory and pricing with a weekly report on supply, demand, inventory and shipments. It’s an important part of the USHBC strategic plan to help growers and marketers become more efficient, resilient and innovative.

“There's really three big pieces to this new launch that's going to provide the industry value. I think the first thing is bringing together data from throughout the industry for an accurate, timely understanding of the market. Number two, it provides more than just past and present data. It's also including a critical piece, which is forecasting, which will … help guide the industry, which is critical. And three, it's industry owned. It's governed by the USHBC and overseen by the USDA, and the industry decides on what's important and necessary to help innovate and encourage a more data-driven industry.” - Joe Vargas

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Vargas, Powell and Hill.
A look at the launch and value of the BerrySmart Insights Fresh Platform by its developers and participants.
The role the industry plays in the platform’s success and accuracy.
How to contact “Data Joe” Vargas with questions about the platform.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Pat Goin in Indiana, TJ Hafner in Oregon and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on June 14, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined once again by Soren Bjorn president of Driscoll’s of the Americas. Bjorn has been a frequent guest on the show, with featured discussions on episodes 003, 004, 088 and 089. With more than 100 years of farming heritage and hundreds of independent growers around the world, Driscoll’s is passionate about growing great tasting berries.

“We, in our mission, call that alignment and we work on that every day. That's everything from making sure that we have quality systems where growers can get immediate feedback from what is the quality of the berries that were picked that day to frequent market updates. … We also have a consumer panel that we talk to very regularly. This is thousands of people that have volunteered to be on our consumer panel, and we engage with them and we share that information back with the growers.” - Soren Bjorn

Topics covered include:

How prioritizing the customer has impacted Driscoll’s business.
The systems and programs Driscoll’s has created to connect producers and consumers.
Bjorn’s take on the future of the blueberry industry.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, Matt Macrie in New Jersey, Pat Goin in Indiana, Elise Oliver in California,TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on June 7, 2023.

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The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, Pat Goin in Indiana, Elise Oliver in California, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on May 31, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined byKristy Babb, USHBC and NABC’s first-ever communications director. This role was created to develop a focus on a communications platform for both organizations that will further unify the blueberry industry and drive the ambition to make blueberries the world’s favorite fruit. Babb has over 20 years of experience developing and executing communication strategies on behalf of corporate clients, trade associations and other nonprofit, mission-based organizations.

“The opportunities are endless here, and I think we have so many great and exciting stories to tell to so many different audiences that it really is a place where the sky's the limit. The story of blueberries is not only interesting and fun, but it's also really scientific and data driven. The health benefits of blueberries are a story that we can tell in so many different ways to so many different audiences.” - Kristy Babb

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Babb.
Discussion of the insights and experience Babb brings to the communications director role.
The announcement that “The Business of Blueberries” podcast has won a National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) award!

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Todd Sanders in California Alan Schreiber in Washington, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, Matt Macrie in New Jersey, Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on May 24, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Mississippi State Rep. Jill Ford, fourth grade teacher Lisa Parenteau and students Logan and Nicole. Thanks to the creative collaboration of this team, the fourth grade class at Mannsdale Upper Elementary School was successful in lobbying for and passing a bill making blueberries the state fruit of Mississippi.

“Everybody can feel good about this. If you don't like blueberries, I'm sorry you're missing out, but you can at least be excited that these kids have the ability and the desire to do something outside of just reading it in a book.” - Mississippi State Rep. Jill Ford

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Rep. Ford, Parentaeau and students Logan and Nicole.
A retelling of the heartwarming journey this fourth grade class went on to make blueberries the state fruit of Mississippi.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, Eric Stafne reporting for Mississippi and Louisiana, Matt Macrie in New Jersey, Pat Goin in Indiana, Elise Oliver in California, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Mario Ramirez in Mexico, and Alan Schreiber in Washington. This was recorded on May 17, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined byNorth Carolina UniversityAssociate Professor Massimo Iorizzo, Ph.D. He was also featured in episode 31 where he helped introduce the Vaccinium Coordinated Ag Project (VacCAP). This program is a nationwide effort to address bottlenecks that limit the advancement of breeding programs in both blueberries and cranberries. He returns to give us an update on the program's progress in blueberry genetics.

“We ran a survey nationwide … asking the question, what are the breeding priorities that you see need to be advanced? And we collected about 500 responses and the majority said food quality, quality in particular, shelf life, texture and flavor and taste. So that's why we are focusing on those characteristics for blueberries.” - Massimo Iorizzo, Ph.D.

Topics covered include:

An update on VacCAP, and what the future holds for blueberry genetics.
Producers’ priorities for future blueberry genetics.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Matt Macrie in New Jersey, Elise Oliver in California, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on May 10, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Andres Armstrong, executive director of the Chilean Blueberry Committee. Armstrong returns to update listeners on the progress of the Chilean blueberry industry. He previously appeared in episode 22 and episode 75.

“We're at a point where we need to adjust to a different competitive environment. This is our focus now. We used to be kind of alone in the market, and I always tell people here, we compete among ourselves. Now we need to understand there's new competition and we need to understand where this is going, where are the advantages, which is our place in this new market?” - Andres Armstrong

Topics covered include:

The Chilean blueberry industry’s recent areas of focus.
The current concerns and pursuits of the Chilean industry within the global market.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Darrin Wheeler in Georgia, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, Elise Oliver in California, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on April 26, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Steve Mantle founder of Innov8 Ag, and USHBC/NABC Vice President of Engagement and Education Amanda Griffin to discuss the BerrySmart Field Project. Mantle introduced the BerrySmart Field Project in episode 100 and returns to let us know how the first year went and what to expect this year.

“The BerrySmart field is this collaborative effort between growers, researchers and tech providers to optimize blueberry farming operations. We are just in the beginning phase of this, and I'm very excited to see how it grows and to hear from Steve today on where that first year went. A couple of the things that we hope to work on and focus on are soil, the nutrients, yield distribution, weather, chemicals and of course labor.” – Amanda Griffin

Topics covered include:

Why the industry is investing in the BerrySmart Project.
A full update on the project and what the future holds for the overall program.
A review of the project’s purpose, progress made and how the data being collected can influence future practices.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Darren Wheeler in Georgia, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, Mario Ramirez in Mexico, Eric Stafne reporting for Louisiana and Mississippi, Luis Vegas in Peru and Elise Oliver in California. This was recorded on April 19, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Robert Verloop, CEO of the California Walnut Board, Alvaro Luque, CEO of Avocados From Mexico, and Richard Waycott, CEO of the Almond Board of California. These industry leaders share their visions for the future, and how they’re making those visions a reality. By looking outside of the blueberry industry, we get insights into how other commodities are thinking about what’s next and making progress toward their goals.

“One of the things I would want you to think about is to avoid complacency because you've been successful. I think one of the biggest challenges we face in agriculture is (thinking) because we had a good year, now we’ve got it. Or we've had a good run, now we've got it. Success can put us into a complacent mindset, and that probably is what hurts us as industry leaders the most. We cannot get complacent when things are good.” – Robert Verloop

Topics covered include:

Introductions to Verloop, Luque and Waycott, and their commodities work.
Understanding the value of data across different agriculture industries, and the benefits of collecting and analyzing data.
Exploring how different industries define and pursue the visions they’ve created, and what the blueberry industry can learn from their efforts

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today, you’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Darren Wheeler in Georgia, Eric Stafne reporting for Louisiana and Mississippi, Mario Ramirez in Mexico, Elise Oliver in California, TJ Hafner in Oregon and Matt Macrie in New Jersey. This was recorded on April 12, 2023.

The Blueberry Boost

The Blueberry Industry Leadership Program is designed to elevate incoming leaders in the blueberry industry by providing in-depth training, industry education and connection to other ag leaders across the supply chain. The program offers immersive, personalized leadership training in the course of a year-long fellowship, and creates camaraderie among the fellows, helping them form a lifelong support network.

The application process for the second cohort of the leadership program opens May 1. Ideal candidates are passionate individuals who want to have an active role in leading the next era of growth for blueberries. Growers, both domestic and international, processors, handlers, exporters and buyers can apply.

Learn more about the Blueberry Industry Leadership Program, then apply by May 1!

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by David Magaña, VP and senior analyst at RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness. Magaña is responsible for covering and analyzing the U.S. and North American fresh fruit and vegetable industries for RaboBank, and his insights are deeply relevant to anyone in the ag industry. At the recent Blueberry Convention in San Diego, he talked about macro trends impacting the blueberry industry.

“The inflation that we've been facing lately is the result of the collision of two massive forces. On the one side, we see an increase in demand for food and for different types of food. … And on the other hand, we see on the supply side some of the challenges that have been for years, such as labor constraints, and some new ones that have come to become a true challenge over the past few years, such as logistical challenges.” - David Magaña

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Magaña and his work for RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness.
An exploration of macro economic trends, universal inflation and global influences on the blueberry industry.
Future projections and expectations for the blueberry industry.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru, Andres Armstrong in Chile, and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on March 15, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by co-CEOs Cort Brazelton and Oscar Verges of Fall Creek Nursery. They discuss the origin of the Fall Creek, the current state of blueberry genetics, their Sekoya platform and their support of the USHBC’s leadership development program.

“We're a big believer that best genetics don't come from one place. They come from lots of places. And then on the genetic side, we're also a breeding organization and bring those products to market as well. So we're a nursery, we're a breeding company and we serve growers.” - Cort Brazelton

“Blueberries are moving up a notch or a magnitude when it comes to the produce industry. … Blueberries are on everybody's radar, and we do have a tremendous opportunity in front of us to go in this virtuous circle of better blueberries that lead to not just trial, but also repeat and people staying in that category and growing it.” - Oscar Verges

Topics covered include:

How Fall Creek’s co-CEOs collaborate to promote Fall Creek, and where they see blueberry genetics heading.
The unique opportunities provided by the Sekoya platform and what they offer members.
The current state of the blueberry industry and the potential Fall Creek sees for the future.

Crop Report

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Brittany Lee, vice president of Florida Blue Farms and the newest crop report contributor. Lee has a strong background in Florida agriculture, having grown up there. She also served as the executive director of the Florida Blueberry Association.

“So of course taste is always going to be a factor, but additionally, plant structure is very important. Machine harvestability is very important. Because of machine harvestability, a condensed crop is also important so that you can machine the crop less times to prevent plant damage or any injury to the root systems. I would say machine-ability, condensed crop, great tasting … those are all things that we’re trying to look for and identify.” - Brittany Lee

“I think that our group of Florida growers that I've had to mentor me and to look up to in the industry, they're just tremendous growers. They're extremely knowledgeable and always on the cutting edge of innovation and technology. I think we're early adapters in Florida and we've pushed the envelope on machine harvestable varieties for southern highbush. … Of course quality has always been our number one concern. We don't want there to be a visible or detectable difference between something that's hand picked or machine picked. And that's a high bar that we've set for ourselves as growers to achieve and strive for. But you know, I think it's something that everyone here is serious about.” - Brittany Lee

Topics covered include:

Lee’s experience and contributions to the blueberry industry.
New genetic varieties and properties growers are most interested in and prioritize when making selections.
The unique characteristics involved in farming blueberries in Florida.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on February 22, 2023.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Leslie Wada, Ph.D., senior director of nutrition and health research at USHBC/NABC, and Aedín Cassidy, Ph.D., chair in nutrition and preventive medicine and director for interdisciplinary research at the Institute for Global Food Security.

Last month, the USHBC hosted a Blueberry Research Roundtable in Washington, D.C., where a group of experts discussed topics related to the five primary health research pillars: brain health, cardiovascular health, gut health, diabetes and prediabetes, and healthy living.

“The idea was: Could we bring some of these experts together in one room, talk about what we know about blueberries and health, and what do we need to know? Where are we going to go in our pipeline of research that we'll be continually funding in the next five years or more? And who better to discuss this than people who have been doing research in blueberries or are excited about starting some research in blueberries?” - Leslie Wada, Ph.D.

“The quality of data that we have now is so much better than we had even five years ago, particularly in relation to blueberries. And that's really thanks to the USHBC committee because they spent a lot of time thinking about what to fund and focusing on a few key areas. So that investment is really starting to pay off.” - Aedín Cassidy, Ph.D.

Topics covered include:

The work of the blueberry industry’s scientific advisory board.
Highlights from the Blueberry Health Research Roundtable that took place in December.
Details on the latest health and nutrition research on blueberries.
Opportunities for future blueberry health research.

Crop Report

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Curt Granger, vice president of global marketing and communications for NABC and USHBC; and valued agency partner, Grant Prentice, director of strategic insights at Padilla FoodMinds. Two years ago, the USHBC launched a new strategic position and call-to-action through the Grab a Boost of Blueprogram. The industry is seeing this program inspire consumers, drive demand and increase sales. This episode covers the Grab a Boost of Blue program, its results so far and how the blueberry industry members can get involved.

“The goal was really twofold. One was to create a message that really celebrates the healthfulness of eating blueberries that USHBC can share with consumers. But also to create programming that is simple and easy for marketers to adopt and use within the context of their own programming.” - Grant Prentice

“It's gonna have to be a collaborative, kind of all hands on deck from our side of it, marketers and USHBC, to take a look at the different promotions and to support them if that's ideally where we we want to be.The tighter we get in working together the stronger we go to market and the stronger this brand grows.” - Curt Granger

Topics covered include:

The progress, initial results and proven effect of Grab a Boost of Blue.
Various uses of Grab a Boost of Blue and upcoming collaborations to promote the industry.
How industry members can access Grab a Boost of Blue licensing and promotional materials, including a promotional calendar of upcoming power periods.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru, Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Andres Armstrong in Chile. This was recorded on January 25, 2023.

The Blueberry Boost

The next big blueberry industry event is The Blueberry Convention, Feb. 21-24 in San Diego. Join us for inspiring keynotes, innovative technology, business solutions and networking opportunities. The event kicks off with the first-ever Grab a Boost of Blue Golf Tournament on Feb. 21, followed by a reception and meet and greet with exhibitors. There will be sessions on data analytics, industry insights and a panel discussion on best bee practices. Reserve your seat here.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by José Antonio Gómez-Bazán, CEO of Camposol. Camposol is a multinational company that provides families around the world with fresh and healthy food. It has operations in Peru, Chile, Mexico, Colombia and Uruguay, and a presence around the world. Gómez-Bazán took on the CEO role at Camposol in 2021 after a decade with the company. He is a board member of the United Fresh Produce Association and a past board member of the Produce Marketing Association. José Antonio discusses the rise of blueberries in the Camposol company, the value blueberries offer the world and finds insight in the promotion of other produce and how that could be used to also promote the blueberry industry.

“I do believe that there is a potential for every single lunchbox in North America and in the world to carry a small package of blueberries. … This is super convenient. This is super healthy. It goes in line with every single principle that ESG and sustainability and any other trend that is out there is saying. The amount of package they use is minimum. The amount of process they use is minimum. It's a super-efficient product by itself. All the way from the farm to the lunchbox.” - José Antonio Gómez-Bazán

“This is not about fighting for the same size of a pie. This is making the pie bigger and bigger and bigger. And the only way the pie is gonna get bigger is with investment. The consumer needs to understand why he needs to eat more blueberries. … I do believe that the convenience of blueberries is unique and it drives thousands of opportunities” - José Antonio Gómez-Bazán

Topics covered include:

An introduction to Gómez-Bazán, CEO of Camposol.
The journey for blueberries to become Camposol’s dominant focus.
Correlations between growth of the avocado market share and what the blueberry industry can learn from avocados success.
New and expanding global blueberry markets, and the messages consumers need to hear.

Crop Report

Blueberry Boost

The year 2022 saw the highest number of December blueberry shipments in history! Peruvian imports slowed after their peak season in December while Chiles began. Total fresh blueberry imports into the United States increased by 35% in December with the majority marketed as conventional. December marks the fourth month in a row for decreases in average price per pound for all fresh blueberries making fruit more accessible to less frequent blueberry consumers.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Luis Vegas of Proarandanos. Vegas shares the challenges and successes the blueberry industry has faced in Peru this past year, and his optimism for the bright future ahead.

“I would say this has been the most challenging season for Peru in blueberries. … So the margins of the business have been tightening and tightening, and this has been a really challenging season for many companies.” - Luis Vegas

“We need a 52-week a year supply, we need good quality, and also we need to promote consumption of blueberries worldwide.” - Luis Vegas

“We are lucky that we have a great product with these amazing benefits. So we need champions. And I think the USHBC has great tools to arm these champions to go and start creating awareness for blueberries.” - Luis Vegas

Topics covered include:

A review of Peru’s 2022 season.
Specific challenges and success Peru has experienced in the past year.
The collaboration between the USHBC and industry partners like Proarandanos to promote blueberry consumption globally.
Optimism for the future of blueberries around the world.

Crop Report

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Josh Miers-Jones and James French of TOMRA. Miers-Jones is the global category director for blueberries at TOMRA, and French is the company’s head of innovation. Together, they discuss the latest technology, their approach to innovation, and the role of data and artificial intelligence in the future of blueberries.

“You have to be able to pay attention to each individual berry to maximize the value of what you're looking at because you can have one bad berry in that package and that might spoil that experience for the consumer.” James French

“Where can you be more efficient? Where can you save labor? Where can you maybe unlock other ways of doing business that you haven't in the past? Can you enable machine harvest for fresh by doing things a particular way and look for those really value-add type transformations in business by using technology in the right way?” - Josh Miers-Jones

Topics covered include:

An overview of TOMRA’s business and what led them to blueberries.
The important role data can play in personalizing the blueberry experience for individual consumers.
How advancements in artificial intelligence technology can unlock new value opportunities for the blueberry industry.
The new technology TOMRA plans to showcase at The Blueberry Convention in February.

We look forward to seeing you at The Blueberry Convention in San Diego Feb. 21-24!

Crop Report

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The discussion features clips from these previous “The Business of Blueberries” episodes:

Driving the Forward Momentum in the Blueberry Industry With Soren Bjorn
Quality and Genetics – Part Two With Brad Moorer of MBG Marketing
Global Market Opportunities With Steve Magami
Elevating the Consumer Experience With Soren Bjorn
2022 Trends and Opportunities With Brian Bocock
Wishes Do Come True, With Gary Wishnatzki of Wish Farms
A Legacy of Blueberry Research With Bernadine Strik

“The really good thing we've seen is that berries in general, including blueberries, have done really well during the pandemic. And I think we have a lot of reasons to believe that a lot of that will stay with us as people have increasingly made berries a part of their healthier lifestyle.” - Soren Bjorn

“We were down, but we're not out. We've got a lot of fight left in us and there's a space in the global marketplace for all of us, and we need to carve that niche out. If we can do that with superior quality and better genetics, we're gonna be here now and well into the future.” - Brad Moorer

“There are a lot of exciting opportunities ahead for blueberries, both in household penetration and a new global market. We have come a very long way to delight more consumers on a more consistent basis. I couldn't be more excited about what's yet to come in 2023 and beyond, but it's gonna take a great deal of innovation and collaboration to rise to this opportunity.” - Kasey Cronquist

Crop Report

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Amanda Griffin, vice president of education and engagement, and Shelly Hartmann, chair of the USHBC and owner of True Blue Farms. They sit down to discuss the changes to the USHBC committee process, and why they think the new process will make participating in USHBC more accessible to all who would like to get involved.

“We need to focus on engagement opportunities and how to get people involved when they ask those questions. … So I think it's a great process as we move forward into the new year and get ready to decide the next step for aligning the right people with the committee structures that we have in place.” - Shelly Hartmann

“To be able to indicate your passion and where you would like to serve … it's sort of like a database of volunteers for service throughout the year.” - Amanda Griffin

Topics covered include:

A review of the new process for applying to serve on USHBC committees and task forces.
An explanation of the changes, objectives and possibilities this new process provides to the blueberry industry.
Where to view the application and complete it by the Dec. 30 deadline.
The ability to email info@nabcblues.org with any questions about the new volunteer process.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru and Nestor Vega in Mexico. This was recorded on December 14, 2022.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Colin Fain of Agronometrics, International Blueberry Organization (IBO) report contributor Matt Ogg and USHBC/NABC Director of Business Intelligence Joe Vargas. They discuss the recent IBO Global State of the Blueberry Industry Report, which includes extensive research and insights into current dynamics impacting the blueberry industry worldwide.

“It's a great service that the IBO is putting together and making available for free to everybody in the industry. And it's something that I haven't seen any other industry come together to provide to the many players within it.” - Colin Fain

“In a nutshell, this report is looking at the commercial realities faced by growers and how they're responding, but it's also looking at where the opportunities lie and what people should have their eye on everywhere.” - Matt Ogg

Topics covered include:

Highlights of the International Blueberry Organization’s Annual Blueberry Industry Report.
An analysis of the results of the report and key takeaways for the upcoming production year.

Crop Report

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), shares the responses, comments and questions from industry stakeholders about the data platform provided by USHBC. Joe Vargas, director of business intelligence for the USHBC, joins Cronquist to share how we can develop this platform to help drive our category and ensure that blueberries continue to be recognized for the value they bring to every produce department.

“I think to sum it up in one word really, it's the future. You know data is the lifeblood of every organization. It's kind of at the top of a lot of people's minds and the tip of the tongue in a lot of these industries. And I think with the project that we've got going on, we're trying to fill those gaps.” - Joe Vargas

“The value that comes from eliminating those blind spots in business, those are gonna be what bring home the margins. Those are gonna be what keeps businesses operating. And that's what we have to focus on, is to make sure we can bring in the data to make sure that we avoid some of the other destinations that we've seen some other commodities roll into. And I think that blueberries have a fantastic trajectory, but we just need to make sure that we understand what that trajectory is going to look like and what the future holds.” - Joe Vargas

Topics covered include:

Review of the data program USHBC is launching, and a description of the benefits it will offer industry stakeholders.
Feedback and questions about the program from participants at The Blueberry Summit.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today, you’ll hear from Nestor Vega in Mexico and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on November 30, 2022.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), sits down with University of Florida blueberry breeder Patricio Muñoz, Ph.D., to talk about flavor. This was recorded live at the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) Global Produce and Floral Show in Orlando, Florida.

“The way we do it is every cultivar we release is usually run for sensory panels up to three years. So 300 people have tested this fruit and have given their opinion on if they like it or not. ” - Patricio Muñoz, Ph.D.

“We are able to, using artificial intelligence and machine learning, train a model to be able to predict what people will like based on all this data we put together.” - Patricio Muñoz, Ph.D.

Topics covered include:

How the University of Florida collects data on flavor to guide its blueberry breeding program.
The factors that influence overall blueberry flavor.
How all of this knowledge informs tools like the “flavor wheel” for blueberries.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today, you’ll hear from Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on November 16, 2022.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), discusses the tactics and leverage retailers across the country have experienced with the Grab a Boost of Blue campaign. The audio is taken from the retail-focused session at The Blueberry Summit last month in Nashville. You'll also hear from Don Ladhoff, president of FreshSmartSolutions.

“I really believe it's one of the strongest marketing message calls to action that I've seen out there, and really wanted to be able to show the power that it has. So I reached out to a number of retailers. …The results strongly validated the power of Grab a Boost of Blue and what it can do for retailers in delivering added blueberry sales. ” - Don Ladhoff

“Retail dietitians are absolutely in favor of helping us promote the boost of blue message. The head dietitian at United thanked me for bringing this opportunity to her so that she had another reason to get behind blueberries and promote that. So a very willing audience there.” - Don Ladhoff

Topics covered include:

A review of the impact of the Grab a Boost of Blue campaign across seven retailers nationwide.
Feedback from retailers and a discussion of the most significant factors affecting their consumers’ purchasing decisions.

Crop Report

Blueberry Boost

The next big blueberry event is The Blueberry Convention, taking place February 21-24, 2023 in San Diego. Join us for inspiring keynotes, innovative technology, business solutions and networking opportunities. Reserve your seat for The Blueberry Convention here.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Grant Prentice, senior vice president of strategic insights at Padilla FoodMinds. Cronquist and Prentice discuss the recently conducted study on blueberry Usage and Attitude (U&A) study, which provided insights into blueberry consumers and their preferences and habits.

“Blueberries have enjoyed tremendous growth in recent decades, but it's important for us in the industry to not just know the volume of sales, but also who these consumers are and what's motivating them to buy.” - Kasey Cronquist

“We hope that the industry takes this data set, and develops their own point of view about what this means for their brand, their marketing programs, and maybe even gaining some insights into … collaborative opportunities, maybe with USHBC, to do a better job positioning blueberries against this consumer.” - Grant Prentice

Topics covered include:

What a Usage and Attitude (U&A) study is and why USHBC conducts them.
Key insights gleaned from the most recent U&A study, and how they differ from previous studies.
How this data can be used to help the blueberry industry unite and focus marketing efforts.
How the results of the study will be used for strategy and implementation.

Crop Report

Blueberry Boost

USHBC/NABC Director of Business Intelligence Joe Vargas provides an update based on the September Nielsen report. For more category insights, visit the Blueberry Data and Insights Center.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (https://ushbc.blueberry.org (USHBC)) and the North American Blueberry Council (https://nabc.blueberry.org (NABC)), shares an overview of key trends impacting global blueberry production and consumption. These clips were recorded for a webinar hosted by the https://www.freshproduce.com (International Fresh Produce Association). Cronquist was joined by colleagues from Chile, Mexico, Peru and South Africa as they presented and discussed challenges and opportunities in the global berry industry. “We have seen clearly that when you have year-round supply, we're staying on store shelves, we're able to provide consumers with what they're looking for, and that growth pattern is going to continue to increase. And our job at the council is to continue to drive that demand, while also driving the value of that blueberry to remain high over time.” - Kasey Cronquist, USHBC and NABC president “Logistic disruptions were our No. 1 issue this last season. Not only for blueberries from Chile, but for other species too. So this is something that we are working on to solve the product coming into the future.” - Andres Armstrong, Chilean Blueberry Committee executive director “One of the biggest challenges for the Mexican industry is to diversify the markets. Because of the perishable condition of berries, our main market remains North America, but we need to diversify markets and we need better logistics in terms of air freight.” - Jose Luis Bustamente, president of Aneberries Topics covered include: Challenges and opportunities faced in North America, Chile, Mexico and Peru. The global blueberry market potential and current trajectory from global stakeholders. Obstacles found in international markets and the steps being taken to address them.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on October 14, 2022.

Marketing Boost USHBC/NABC Vice President of Engagement and Education Amanda Griffin showcases the council’s presence at two upcoming events: The Global Produce and Floral Show in Orlando and Asia Fruit Logistica in Bangkok. Be sure to join the blueberry industry for meet and greets at both events!

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Topics covered include: Getting to know Magami, co-founder and chair of Agrovision. An exploration of the opportunities and trajectories in the global blueberry market. Agrovision and Fruitist’s market share, and what they bring to the blueberry industry. Reminder to fill out our http://ushbc.blueberry.org/podcast (listener survey).

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Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. The Pacific Northwest has basically wrapped up, marking the end of the domestic season for the year, but Doug Krahmer from Oregon joins us for a recap. He's joined by Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on September 28, 2022.

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Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru, Doug Krahmer in Oregon, and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on September 14th, 2022.

Blueberry Boost The blueberry industry’s data and analytics program that is being developed will allow growers and handlers to acquire all of the data they need in one easy-to-access location. From dashboards to insights into movement to retail insights and beyond, the USHBC/NABC will leverage modern technologies to give an unprecedented level of transparency to the industry. https://www.blueberryevents.org/ (Join us at the Blueberry Summit) in Nashville on October 5 -7, 2022 to learn more.

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“There's just so many ideas and so much innovation utilizing data in all these different facets, in service and growth. And so that's really, I think too, what John's talking about. It's not just about the industry data. Yeah, that's the topic at hand right now, but this is just a stepping stone. This is the basis for what we're going to be doing in the future.” - Joe Vargas

Topics covered include: An introduction to Bytecode IO and a discussion of the advantages it offers. How Vargas and the Bytecode IO team plan to bring more value to blueberry data. How using data in new ways will benefit the blueberry industry.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. In this episode, you’ll hear from Rex Shulz in Michigan, Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Bryan Sakuma in Washington, Jason Smith in British Columbia, and Luis Veas in Peru. This was recorded on September 7, 2022.

Blueberry Boost Get all the details on Blueberry Lane, our new trade show floor coming to The Blueberry Summit in Nashville October 5-7. Find out what the lane is all about, then reserve your seat for the summit https://www.blueberryevents.org/ (here).

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Topics covered include: Getting to know Pamela Taylor, senior vice president and chief communications and marketing officer for https://www.shareourstrength.org (Share Our Strength). Exploring the scope and impact No Kid Hungry has on food insecurity among children. Celebrating the collaboration between No Kid Hungry and USHBC during National Blueberry Month.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. In this episode, you’ll hear from Doug Krahmer from Oregon, Bryan Sakuma from Washington, Jason Smith from British Columbia, Luis Vegas from Peru and Nestor Vega from Mexico. This was recorded on August 31, 2022.

Blueberry Boost The blueberry industry will be taking over Nashville Oct. 5-7 for The Blueberry Summit! In this Blueberry Boost, Amanda Griffin, USHBC/NABC vice president of engagement and education, introduces the keynote speakers that will be featured at the event. Find out who’s speaking, then save your seat https://www.blueberryevents.org/ (here).

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), reflects on two full years of creating the podcast. In this short episode, Cronquist shares the impact the show’s had on the industry, and asks for your feedback. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6xxLn9PjrPrWAIWsid3Vg0TOpDDB5GuqoYw2Y5PwNVeovvg/viewform (Please fill out the podcast listener survey. ) “I want this show to continue to grow, improve and reach even more people because of the great resource and content that it can be for our industry. So please pause the show and head to our https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6xxLn9PjrPrWAIWsid3Vg0TOpDDB5GuqoYw2Y5PwNVeovvg/viewform (online listener survey).” - Kasey Cronquist Topics covered include: A reflection on the impact of the podcast over the last two years. The need for audience feedback via the https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6xxLn9PjrPrWAIWsid3Vg0TOpDDB5GuqoYw2Y5PwNVeovvg/viewform (podcast listener survey). An extended crop report featuring Michigan, Mexico, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Peru.

CLICK https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6xxLn9PjrPrWAIWsid3Vg0TOpDDB5GuqoYw2Y5PwNVeovvg/viewform (HERE) TO COMPLETE THE PODCAST LISTENER SURVEY

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. In this episode, you’ll hear from Rex Schultz in Michigan, Mario Ramirez in Mexico, Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Bryan Sakuma in Washington, Jason Smith in British Columbia and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on August 17, 2022.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (https://ushbc.blueberry.org (USHBC)) and the North American Blueberry Council (https://nabc.blueberry.org (NABC)), is joined by Brad Moorer, president and CEO of http://www.blueberries.com (MBG Marketing). MBG Marketing is a producer-owned blueberry cooperative that was formed in 1936 as the Michigan Blueberry Growers Association. Moorer took over the president and CEO role from Larry Ensfield last May. Prior to that, he served as CFO and vice president of MBGs value-added business. This is the second part of the conversation between Cronquist and Moorer that took place in Michigan last month. “As I look to the future, I believe it's really around one thing and one thing only, and I think it's proprietary genetics” - Brad Moorer “It's maybe 5% to 10% of our total production on an annual basis has got the legs for export. … There's a lot of other factors downstream, but it all begins at the field level and it's (the) varietal. And to the extent that we can plant another 10,000, 20,000 acres of these new genetics, it's only going to give us that many more opportunities to export, because some of this fruit that we're seeing is just phenomenal.” - Brad Moorer

Topics covered include: Getting to know MBG Marketing and its contributions to the blueberry industry. The investments MBG Marketing has made into the Naturipe family of companies. The value of proprietary genetics and what MBG Marketing is doing with its Berry Blue program.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. In this episode, you’ll hear from Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Bryan Sakuma in Washington and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on August 10, 2022.

Blueberry Boost This week’s Blueberry Boost highlights the 2021 USHBC Impact Report, which details last year’s efforts across all program areas. The report can be accessed http://ushbc.blueberry.org (here) and in the https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/data-and-insights-center/ (USHBC Data and Insights Center), along with past reports.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (https://ushbc.blueberry.org (USHBC)) and the North American Blueberry Council (https://nabc.blueberry.org (NABC)), is joined by Brad Moorer, president and CEO of http://www.blueberries.com (MBG Marketing). MBG Marketing is a producer-owned blueberry cooperative that was formed in 1936 as the Michigan Blueberry Growers Association. Moorer took over the president and CEO role from Larry Ensfield last May. Prior to that, he served as CFO and vice president of MBGs value-added business. “The growers I've had an opportunity to get to know that we represent, not only here in Michigan but throughout the country, have been just top-notch producers, but more than that, friends and trusted advisers. I mean, there's a lot of these folks that it's not just a business relationship, where they know my family and I know theirs. I think our co-op model probably helps promote those types of relationships. And we just couldn't be more blessed to be where we're at and represent the growers that we do.” - Brad Moorer

“We're laser focused on grower profitability. There's a lot of different components to what that looks like. Obviously, the price that you're getting for your berries in the market is only one factor in that overall equation. There's things like yield that make a tremendous difference from one farm to the next. And we have a horticulture team at MBG of industry experts that focus on plant health, fruit quality and fruit yields. … And so what we're really looking for first and foremost is a producer, a prospective member, that understands and appreciates the co-op model.” - Brad Moorer

Topics covered include: Getting to know Moorer and his experience in the blueberry industry. An overview of the co-op model MBG Marketing uses to support its members and which producers best fit their group. The future of the blueberry industry and the genetics Moorer feels is shaping that future.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. In this episode, you’ll hear from Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Jason Smith in British Columbia. This was recorded on August 3, 2022.

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Topics covered include: Van Lieu’s role with IFPA. An overview of current health and nutritional concerns in the U.S., and the topics and issues that will be covered at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. The role producers and industry stakeholders can play in gaining support through government guidelines, and programs that drive demand creation.

Blueberry Boost Discover the latest data on the blueberry market! USHBC/NABC Director of Business Intelligence Joe Vargas shares the most recent Nielson data on blueberry volumes. And for more category insights, visit the https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/data-and-insights-center/ (data and insights center on the USHBC website).

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“We're really interested in figuring out which types of techniques are effective in deterring bird damage. And it's a tricky problem because birds are very mobile. So if you scare them away from your field and all the growers know this, they'll probably go to your neighbor's field so it would be helpful to install some kind of landscape level approaches if you can get some kind of cooperation like that. So mainly, it's [figuring out] which techniques are effective and are there any downsides to particular techniques too?” - Dr. Catherine Lindell

Topics covered include: A discussion with https://integrativebiology.natsci.msu.edu/about/directory/lindell-catherine/ (Dr. Catherine Lindell, Ph.D)., Associate Professor at the Center for Integrative Biology, and Larry Bodtke, blueberry grower and partner at https://www.cornerstoneag-llc.com/home-english/ (Cornerstone Ag) to discuss the bird pressure on blueberry producers Ongoing research and best management practices that mitigate bird pressure New approaches and technologies that can deter bird encroachment on blueberry fields

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. In this episode, you’ll hear from Matt Macrie in New Jersey, Rex Schultz in Michigan, Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Bryan Sakuma in Washington and Nestor Vega in Mexico. This was recorded on July 20, 2022.

Blueberry Boost Acknowledge your blueberry industry heroes at the Blueberry Summit this fall in Nashville! USHBC/NABC vice president of engagement and education Amanda Griffin announces that nominations are open for the Duke Galletta Award and Alex Weatherbee Award. Click https://nabc.blueberry.org/ (HERE) to nominate your industry hero today.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (https://ushbc.blueberry.org (USHBC)) and the North American Blueberry Council (https://nabc.blueberry.org (NABC)), is joined by https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/SecretaryBio.html (Karen Ross), secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ (CDFA)). Secretary Ross discusses some of the challenges and opportunities facing California agriculture and, more generally, specialty crops. Secretary Ross has strengthened partnerships across government, academia and the nonprofit sector in a drive to maintain and improve environmental stewardship, and develop adaptation strategies for the impacts of climate change. She has also worked to provide greater access to farm fresh foods at school cafeterias through https://cafarmtofork.cdfa.ca.gov/about.htm (CDFA’s Farm to Fork Program), and has been a longtime champion of specialty crops and the https://californiagrown.org (California Grown) program. “It was that connection of policy to something that,when I left the farm, I just took a different career path to be a part of agriculture and to be able to stand up for the values of our farming families. And to be able to help better connect rural and urban communities, which was one of the things that being president of California Wine and Grape Growers allowed me to do very, very well. There's nothing like inviting people to have some really good California grown food with a really good California wine to really create a conversation and find all those things that we have in common.” - Karen Ross “We've suffered a drought, we've done that kind of work. And then the intentional focus on climate and making sure that ag as a contributor of 8% of the greenhouse gas emissions in California, but agriculture and forestry can also be part of the solution. So funding healthy soils, and especially with our dairy families, being able to be part of the solution for methane reductions.” - Karen Ross “I think that investing in food security, climate-smart agriculture, the research that can be applied and scaled on a global basis, in addition to understanding the changes that are happening at agriculture and the importance of that research and education, to make sure we're focused on the workforce of the future, the jobs of the future, the training of the future. … We need to have that public investment for public trust in the research results. The advancements of science and technology are going to be key to that.” - Karen Ross Topics covered include: Secretary Ross’ journey through agriculture, and the initiatives she continues to work on to collaborate with and help California producers. The scope and focus of the USDA, and its efforts on producers’ behalf. The mission of the CDFA and the many stakeholders Ross coordinates to protect and promote California agriculture.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. In this episode, you’ll hear from Rex Schultz in Michigan, Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Elizabeth Carranza in California and Nestor Vega in Mexico. This was recorded on July 13, 2022. Blueberry Boost This week’s Blueberry Boost highlights https://www.blueberryevents.org/ (The Blueberry Summit), Oct. 5-7 in Nashville. Check out the schedule and save your seat! If you https://www.blueberryevents.org/theblueberrysummit/registration (register) by July 31, the end of National Blueberry Month, you’ll be entered in to win a blueberry-themed cowboy hat.

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“The short term was to see a lot of the young wood on these new plantings and even mature plantings that were under water for 8 to 10 feet for up to three weeks, that those tissues died. But then the longer term question is, OK, how's the root system doing? Is it going to be able to recover given the fact that the soil’s structure has also been negatively impacted? … We tried to parse out what you could recommend for different levels of severity of flooding. … We've got a range of potential management options there just depending on how strong the planting was and how old it was.” - Eric Gerbrandt, Ph.D.

Topics covered include: The impact of the heat dome and the extreme flooding experienced over the last year. Management options based on the effects and severity of weather events. Ongoing research and options for producers going forward to prevent further losses.

Pro tip: Dive further into the impacts of these events by reading the https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2181/2021/12/Severe-Flooding-in-the-Sumas-Flats-Final.pdf (Severe Flooding of Blueberry Fields in Southwestern British Columbia and Northwestern Washington).

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. In this episode, you’ll hear from Elizabeth Carranza in California, Mario Ramirez in Mexico, Matt Macrie in New Jersey and Rex Schultz in Michigan. Blueberry Boost This week’s Blueberry Boost provides an update on the very first Blueberry Industry Leadership Program. The program’s fellows kicked off their journey last week in Seattle. USHBC/NABC Vice President of Engagement and Education Amanda Griffin provides an update.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), dives into some https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/8/1619 (exciting research regarding the cognitive benefits of incorporating blueberries into your daily diet). Cronquist is joined by NABC/USHBC Senior Director of Nutrition and Health Research Leslie Wada, Ph.D., and https://med.uc.edu/landing-pages/faculty-profile/Index/Pubs/krikorr (Robert Krikorian, Ph.D., )a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience and director of the Cognitive Aging Program at the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center. “Now, with the broader scope of activities open to us as our Health Research Committee converts to a Health Research and Nutrition Committee, we are also evaluating nutrition programs and projects that can help us communicate the importance of blueberries as part of a healthy diet.” - Leslie Wada, Ph.D. “So I think one way to look at what we found was that from a cognitive point of view, we were able to reverse, or at least return to a less severe impairment level of the kind of executive control problems that these people would typically experience..” - Robert Krikorian, Ph.D.

Topics covered include: An explanation of the scope, function and impact of the Health Research and Nutrition committee. A https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/8/1619 (review) of the ongoing research regarding the benefits of blueberries on cognitive function. A discussion of the media attention https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/8/1619 (this latest study) has received, and what this means for future research in this area.

Blueberry Boost This July, the USHBC will be hosting a nationwide 31-day challenge to encourage consumers to grab a boost of blue. Consumers will be treated to a bevy of activities to celebrate blueberries, engage with the blueberry lifestyle and encourage them to help us grow support for solving childhood hunger with USHBC's partnership with https://www.nokidhungry.org (No Kid Hungry). Join the ranks of the great companies that are already working together to wave the flag that drives demand and makes blueberries the world's favorite fruit. Check it out and sign up https://ushbc.blueberry.org/license-agreement/ (here).

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), turns our focus to Mexico. Jose Luise Bustamante, chair of Aneberries and general manager of Naturipe Berry Growers in Mexico, and Juan Jose Flores, executive director of Aneberries, discuss the country’s growth in the blueberry industry, the current challenges and opportunities they face, and what we can look forward to in the future. “Mexico is moving more toward production in January, February, March and April. That's been becoming the Mexico window. We are more efficient. We have more production that we can be in the market in better conditions right now. …Our main focus right now is in the domestic market. We believe that we can grow that market to be a year-round consumption.” - Juan Jose Flores “We have the most respect for American farmers. They do a wonderful job and we see us as complementary. We believe that having the presence of blueberries year-round with the same quality, with the same size and everything in common, that will increase consumption and that will make us all happy. We really appreciate the farmers and we appreciate our farmers. So we understand the things that you're going through and, believe us, that in Mexico we are going through the same thing.” - Jose Luise Bustamante Topics covered include: A far-reaching conversation with Jose Luise Bustamante and Juan Jose Flores. A review of the beginning and growth of the blueberry industry in Mexico. The value in partnering with Mexican producers to foster a strong global blueberry industry.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. In this episode, you’ll hear from Brandon Wade in Georgia, Neil Moore in North Carolina, Elizabeth Carranza in California, and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on June 8, 2022. Marketing Boost In 1893, Elizabeth White saw the potential in blueberries on her family's farm. She partnered with USDA botanist Frederick Covillel, and together they found the right blueberry plants to cultivate. It’s no surprise that many years later, the blueberry industry is filled with women who are making an impact. That’s why USHBC is launching “Women in Blueberries,” with the goal of bringing together these amazing women. We’ll host our first virtual Women in Blueberries event on July 13 at 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET. In this first two-part virtual session, we’ll examine the power of bringing other women along on your career journey, and how to be more mindful in supporting women who inspire you. More information is available http://blueberryevents.org/womeninbluesnetwork (here).

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), shares a few highlights from the first 100 episodes of the podcast. These sound bites emphasize the importance of unity and collaboration to delight blueberry customers and consumers every single time. You’ll hear from industry leaders Denny Doyle, Shelly Hartmann and Tom Avinelis. “If you do nothing at all, that’s worse than doing something wrong. So (USHBC) really started with (us going out to) promote in traditional ways, and then - BANG - the health research started to hover and we embraced that.” - Denny Doyle “I think we really need to encourage grower participation. This is the growers’ program. They need to be involved and they need to be up to speed on the strategic plan and the direction that this organization is going. …I only see it getting better for growers and I’m so excited to be able to say that.” - Shelly Hartmann “We need to recognize what we, as farmers, what we’re nourishing and what we’re growing and what we’re so proud of is quality blueberries that are going to have to delight our customers consistently to be successful.” - Tom Avinelis Topics covered include: The history behind the formation of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council. A vision for what’s ahead for the blueberry industry. What it takes to delight customers and consumers every time they experience blueberries.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. In this episode, you’ll hear from Mario Ramirez in Mexico, Brandon Wade in Georgia, Neil Moore in North Carolina, and Elizabeth Carranza in California. This was recorded on June 1, 2022. Blueberry Boost What we’ve been calling the “Marketing Boost” has become the “Blueberry Boost!” This change reflects an expanded direction for this segment, which will still include marketing information, with the addition of industry-related updates and resources. For the first Blueberry Boost, Amanda Griffin, USHBC vice president of engagement and education, shares details on The Blueberry Summit, Oct. 5-7 in Nashville. Learn more at register https://www.blueberryevents.org/ (here)!

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Steve Mantle of https://www.innov8.ag/ (Innov8 Ag). Cronquist and Mantle are also joined by USHBC/NABC vice president of engagement and education Amanda Griffin to discuss the new https://ushbc.blueberry.org/for-growers/tech-and-innovation/ (BerrySmart Field Project). “So the BerrySmart Field Project will bring together suppliers and solution providers … with the intent to improve blueberry production quality. …We get to test out really cool technologies that are going to advance the blueberry industry.” – Amanda Griffin

“Our focus is establishing priorities on the initial technology … to templatize something that's repeatable into a validated smart farm network that enables growers and packers and sales, the technology community, as well as researchers to collaborate on how we best optimize farm operations with better and more predictable yield outcomes.” - Steve Mantle

Topics covered include: An overview of the BerrySmart Field Project and its key stakeholders. The importance of exploring technology and attracting tech providers to the blueberry industry. How the BerrySmart Field Project will ultimately impact growers and other blueberry value chain participants. How the project will be carried out to meet objectives.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout key growing areas. In this episode, you’ll hear from Elizabeth Carranza in California, Brandon Wade in Georgia, Neil Moore in North Carolina, Mario Ramirez in Mexico, and Ken Patterson in Florida. This was recorded on May 25, 2022. Marketing Boost National Blueberry Month is coming up in July, and we have an exciting opportunity for growers to help tell the industry story! Submit a short video about your work by June 10 and we could use it at a media event later in the month. Listen to this week’s marketing boost for details about how your story can be included, then upload your video at http://www.ushbc.org/video (USHBC.org/video).

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), introduces Joe Vargas, the first-ever USHC/NABC director of business intelligence. Vargas and Cronquist are joined by Tom Barnes of Category Partners and Grant Prentice of Padilla FoodMinds to discuss the blueberry industry’s data and insights program. “I think that the gut feel and experience that got us through the 20th century just won't cut it in the 21st century. …What we're going to be trying to do is outline what benefits, what is going to be the reason for participation and what is that going to bring to the growers, the marketers, the shippers, the retailers, consumers – that whole pride and everything in between – of how can we be relevant and how can we take the data in a direction that's going to help us with that single voice.” - Joe Vargas

“We were able to add Mintel and a pretty cool data set from their GNPD database. And what that does is it allows the industry, anybody with a username and password, into this analytics dashboard … to go in and look at the packaging all around the world. …And so it's a really powerful tool for those people that are looking to maybe redesign packaging or find out where their blueberries are ending up.” - Tom Barnes “It's not just about having (data) sitting somewhere where people can access it, but how do we take that information, the right slices or the right views of the day. … I think this type of data that we're talking about, and having more hands on deck, is just going to make all that stuff flow that much more. - Grant Prentice Topics covered include: An introduction to Joe Vargas, newly appointed director of business intelligence for USHBC. A review of new data tools and a look at future prospects for the industry. The value of collecting data regarding produce categories, consumer trends and household habits, and the benefits of making that data available and transparent to producers.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. In this episode, you’ll hear from Ken Patterson in Florida, Brandon Wade in Georgia, Neil Moore in North Carolina, and Elizabeth Carranza in California. This was recorded on May 18, 2022. Marketing Boost There are oh so many promotional opportunities coming up for USHBC, starting with National Blueberry Cheesecake Day on May 26! Be sure to download our https://ushbc.blueberry.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/05/USH_National-Blueberry-Days_Social-Graphics_Cheesecake_Day_D3-1.gif (cool GIF) and use it to engage your social media audience. In June, we’ll celebrate Brain Health Month. Be sure to check out our https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/grab-a-boost-of-blue/brain-health-month/ (toolkit) for amazing resources and advice on promoting the health benefits of blueberries all month long.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Brooke Hill of Southern Hill Farms in Clermont, Florida. Hill was a panelist on the USHBC’s https://ushbc.blueberry.org/webinars/best-practices-for-u-pick-blueberries-in-2020/ (“Best Practices for U-Pick Blueberries”) webinar presented in 2020. “We leaned heavily on (the community) and they were there for us. I mean, we were floored. It brought tears to my eyes how supportive people were. They wanted to do anything they could to support their local farm.” - Brooke Hill “Diversification for us was the best thing we ever did. However diversification looks for you, no matter what, you can’t go wrong with it as long as it’s done with intention, it’s well thought out and it makes sense for what your end goal is. …I think where the true value for us came in is it led the future of the farm in a completely different direction than where we thought we were headed.” – Brooke Hill Topics covered include: Hill’s background and experience, and the story of Southern Hill Farms. How launching a U-pick operation can be a tool for blueberry farm diversification. The importance of developing a close connection to the local community. What to consider before you start a U-pick operation.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Elizabeth Carranza in California, Ken Patterson in Florida, Brandon Wade in Georgia, and Neil Moore in North Carolina. This was recorded on May 11, 2022.

Marketing Boost Grab a Boost of Blue is the industry’s call to action to motivate consumers to make blueberries a part of their everyday lifestyles. Use this messaging to encourage your audience to Grab a Boost of Blue through content on your website, in social media captions, in newsletters and in other communications. You’ll find a wealth of resources at http://www.ushbc.org/boostofblue (USHBC.org/boostofblue), and you can get licensed at http://www.ushbc.org/license (USHBC.org/license).

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Brian Bocock, vice president of product management at Naturipe Farms. You heard from him back in https://ushbc.blueberry.org/podcast/the-power-of-market-information/ (Episode 002) and https://ushbc.blueberry.org/podcast/a-big-year-for-blueberries/ (Episode 046). Now back for his third appearance, Bocock provides his outlook on what’s ahead for blueberries. “If, as an industry, we can turn that grab a boost of blue into a consistent delivery, 52 weeks a year, when they consistently go in and grab their boost of blue and it delivers against their expectation for firmness and flavor – boom! Now we're cooking on all cylinders and it's everybody across the board. Cause we all will succeed if all of us are hitting the same way.” – Brian Bocock “When you get into these environments where you have reduced production due to weather events, and all of a sudden you pick up for two or three weeks … it can be pretty dynamic. And if you miss it by a week or two, it can mean whether a grower makes money or doesn't make money in this situation … so we're optimistic. Certainly, we have some pain for some of our producers out there that took some significant damage. But we are optimistic on where this marketplace is and is going to be over the next couple of three months.” – Brian Bocock Topics covered include: Expectations for the 2022 Blueberry market. The value of different varieties, and the impact they may have on consumers’ buying habits. The nuances in the blueberry market, and how producers can take advantage of residual increased interest in blueberries brought on by the pandemic.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Ken Patterson in Florida, Brandon Wade in Georgia, Neil Moore in North Carolina and Todd Sanders in California. This was recorded on May 4, 2022. Marketing Boost Food is fuel for the brain and in honor of Brain Health Month, coming up in June, USHBC is inspiring consumers to get a brain boost with blueberries! Eating fresh or frozen blueberries each day within an overall healthy diet and lifestyle is a smart choice that can support brain health. As part of our national plan to promote the benefits of blueberries, USHBC is sharing a range of informative and enticing resources, including blueberry recipes, nutritional information and health research. And our Blue Crew is rolling out original content for blueberry-loving fans throughout the month.This group of credible third-party experts includes physicians, registered dietitians, fitness professionals, and wellness and lifestyle experts who are sharing social media content and custom recipes as part of the campaign.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Itai Kanot, COO and co-founder of https://www.beehero.io (BeeHero). Kanot is the son of the largest commercial beekeeper in Israel, and that background ultimately led him to co-founding BeeHero in 2017. He shares about bee health, pollination and how technology can help improve blueberry production. “We will go to a farmer and say, ‘OK, you're going to pay per acre not per hive. Because everything else that you're doing is per acre, right? You calculate the water per acre, you calculate your potassium that you put in the ground per acre and everything is per acre. So we're going to charge per acre. Now you choose how many frames of bees, not how many hives, because that doesn't mean anything. I can bring you boxes, but what's in the box? So how many frames of bees do you want per acre?’” - Itai Kanot “I know that in many places with blueberries, they are actually looking at how many brood frames are in there. And that's a pretty smart thing to do because … brood is the main reason for bees to want to bring proteins into the colony. Brood needs a lot of protein in order to develop. And protein comes from pollen. So when you have hives or colonies that are packed with brood, they have a bigger driver to go and get pollen. And so these are harder working colonies.” - Itai Kanot “It's important to be able to assess what you're getting, because pollination is such an important part of the food production process. You can do everything right, but if you got bad bees this year, your yields are going to be lower, and you'll have no idea what you've done wrong.” - Itai Kanot Topics covered include: Kanot’s experience on his family’s bee operation in Israel and the journey he has taken to become the largest pollination provider in the U.S. The nuances of bee populations and pollination for blueberry producers. The unique BeeHero business model and how it impacts their clients and the technologies they have access to.

Marketing Boost We know it’s vital to meet our audiences where they are. Last week, USHBC took that literally as we celebrated Earth Day on campus at NC State University. This served two important audiences – foodservice and consumers – to drive awareness, interest and demand for blueberries for the foodservice audience. USHBC and regional growers presented blueberry bushes to https://agroecologyeducationfarm.wordpress.ncsu.edu (NC State University’s Agroecology Education Farm), a teaching farm where students learn where their food comes from. And we talked about varieties, growing practices and sustainability with students and the farm staff.

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Travel with us to the USHBC Spring Forward event in Tampa with “The Business of Blueberries” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC). In this episode, we hear highlights from the B2B Targets Panel with Adam Croissant of Chobani, Shane Schaibly of First Watch and moderator Amy Shipley of Sterling Rice Group (SRG). Topics include: The value of blueberries to food manufacturers and consumers. How the panelists are thinking about the health and flavor properties of blueberries. How the pandemic has affected Chobani and First Watch. What might impact the blueberry industry in the future.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Brandon Wade in Georgia and Ken Patterson in Florida. This was recorded on April 20, 2022.

Marketing Boost Although it's only April, the USHBC promotions team has been working hard to develop a host of programs and activations to engage our consumer audience throughout the month of July. This includes planning a kickoff event for the media in New York City the last week of June to start national blueberry month off with a boost. We'll promote a 31-day challenge for consumers to grab a boost of blue, and post about their love for blueberries all throughout the month of July, which in turn helps raise funds to feed kids through our partnership with https://secure.nokidhungry.org/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app20053b?idb=1602954760&df_id=20946&mfc_pref=T&20946.donation=form1&NONCE_TOKEN=E670B6BED32AB93E96C8041673DC2B50&s_subsrc=223HAFM1G&s_src=googlemain&utm_campaign=2022_brand&utm_source=google&utm_content=paid&utm_medium=search&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgYSTBhDKARIsAB8KukuXqCq6s2lb5rDHwklFdHj9gBnHD9gO8GdVfs6VJSG0bXe-ro8-Xn4aAiDBEALw_wcB (No Kid Hungry).

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Tom Avinelis, founder and managing partner at Agriculture Capital, for a discussion about the growing organic industry and the evolving standards that guide this market. “(Organic) is an industry that’s grown from roughly $14 billion in total sales in 2005, up to this last year in 2021, it’s forecast to be about $63 billion.That’s been a rate at a 10% compounded growth annually for the last 15 years. No other industry, other than probably blueberries has seen that kind of growth over that time period. And even as we look forward to the next five to 10 years, we are still projecting a 9% year-over-year growth in the organic industry.” - Tom Avinelis Topics covered include: What attracted Avinelis to growing certified organic blueberries. The challenges of producing blueberries organically. Where the organic market is going in terms of demand and definition. What regenerative agriculture means and where it fits into the overall organic conversation.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Todd Sanders in California, Eric Stafne in Mississippi, Ken Patterson in Florida, and Brandon Wade in Georgia. This was recorded on April 13, 2022. Marketing Boost A picture is worth a thousand words! Studies show our brains not only process visuals faster, but retain and transmit much more information when it’s delivered visually. On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses how the USHBC uses imagery to bring blueberry innovations to life.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Bernadine Strik, professor emeritus of horticulture and a berry crop specialist and researcher at Oregon State University, for a discussion about Bernadine’s storied career and where the blueberry industry is heading next. “If we look worldwide, our organic blueberry program is really the only one of its kind in the world.” - Bernadine Strik “From a marketing standpoint, we have our millennials and [generation z] very interested in anything that’s related to what’s better for the environment, and that includes carbon sequestration, the efficiency of fertilizer, and water use.” - Bernadine Strik Topics covered include: Bernadine’s beginning in the blueberry industries. The numerous accomplishments and discoveries during her career, including the development of organic blueberry cultivation and high-density farming. The future of the blueberry industry and blueberry research, including climate resiliency and environmental sustainability. Marketing opportunities that exist in the sustainability space.

Resources: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969716325153 ("The effects of long-term management on patterns of carbon storage in a northern highbush blueberry production system")

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Brandon Wade in Georgia. This was recorded on April 7, 2022.

Marketing Boost June is Brain Health Month! On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses USHBC efforts during the month, including the newly launched https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/grab-a-boost-of-blue/brain-health-month/ (Brain Health Month toolkit), available for free for blueberry industry members.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), shares some highlights from the flavor panel at Spring Forward, which featured Patricio Munoz, Ph.D., blueberry breeder at the University of Florida, and Gonzalo de Elizalde, senior director of product leadership at Driscoll’s. Topics include: ● The evolution of blueberries and what led to the focus on flavor. ● Current blueberry market dynamics between price and flavor. ● Why shifting toward a focus on flavor isn’t straightforward. Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Brandon Wade in Georgia, Mario Ramírez in Mexico, and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on March 30, 2022. Marketing Boost Spring is here and peak season is around the corner (or already here) for growers in North America! On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks explains why peak season is the best time to give consumers an experience, like inviting them to the farm or sharing photos and videos of fresh blueberries on social media.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Gary Wishnatzki, owner of https://wishfarms.com/ (Wish Farms) in Plant City, Florida, for a discussion about the farm’s history and successes. “Flavor, to me, is the most important thing, because getting the consumer to buy it once is one thing, getting them to buy it over and over again [is another]. How you achieve [brand loyalty] is by having good tasting fruit.” - Gary Wishnatzki “When [your company gets bigger], as we have, you really have to become an orchestra. When you’re an orchestra, you have to play from a sheet of music … process is a big part of what we’re doing.” - Gary Wishnatzki Topics covered include: The rich family history of Wish Farms, which was founded in 1922. The workplace culture of Wish Farms and how it plays into the company’s success. Building brand loyalty and recognition through genetics and flavor. Wish’s adoption of machine harvesting technology.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Ken Patterson in Florida, John Bennett in Georgia, Mario Ramírez in Mexico, and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on March 23, 2022. Marketing Boost National Blueberry Month is almost here, and the blueberry industry is looking to make an impact. On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses how the month-long celebration will benefit the nonprofit No Kid Hungry. To pledge your product donation, visit https://ushbc.blueberry.org/donate/ (ushbc.blueberry.org/donate) and fill out the form by March 30.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Noel Sakuma, farm manager at Oregon Berry Packing, for a conversation about farm-level technology. “Right now, we’re at a very unique time where a lot of new varieties are coming through the pipeline and if you are having the same varieties in the ground - besides Duke - in the next five to ten years and you’re not upgrading, you’re going to be in a bad spot.” - Noel Sakuma “I’d encourage everyone to make sure we’re doing the right things on [machine harvesters], that we’re not picking when it’s too hot and I would really encourage as many people to try to [install] any kind of soft fresh kit on any machine because it really is a game-changer.” - Noel Sakuma Topics covered include: Noel’s lifelong background in the blueberry industry and with Oregon Berry Packing. Fostering bumblebee hive development in Oregon. How machine harvesting helped Oregon Berry Packing crews navigate the historic Pacific Northwest heatwave last summer. Adopting new varieties and how that plays into ag technology.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Ken Patterson in Florida, Andres Armstrong in Chile and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on March 16, 2022. Marketing Boost March is National Nutrition Month! In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses how blueberries fit into this month and how you can leverage it to your customers.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Soren Bjorn, president of Driscoll’s of the America’s, for a wide-ranging conversation about the blueberry industry. This episode is part two of a two-part interview. “Human beings are attracted to the best tasting fruits … so I think at this stage, the most important thing for the industry is to continue to push the consumer experience up. ” - Soren Bjorn “A consumer that gets a really good experience with blueberries, there are no marketing dollars that can offset that … those are the best marketing dollars.” - Soren Bjorn Topics covered include: Improving the sometimes “uneven” consumer experience of blueberries. Importance of improving blueberry genetics and the places where blueberries might grow in the future. The success of the Driscoll’s “Sweetest Batch” line, and how it creates an elevated experience for consumers. How accuracy of blueberry data can help the whole industry.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Ken Patterson in Florida and Mario Ramírez in Mexico. This was recorded on March 9, 2022. Marketing Boost Last week in Tampa, attendees who visited the Wish Farms packing center saw the Wish Farms logo right alongside USHBC’s Grab a Boost of Blue logo. In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses strategic positioning, Grab a Boost of Blue, and how to use it.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Soren Bjorn, president of Driscoll’s of the Americas, for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of the blueberry industry. This episode is part one of a two-part interview. “Blueberries, in general, have done really well during the pandemic … we have a lot of reasons to believe that [the recent success of blueberries] will stay with us as people have increasingly made berries a part of a healthier lifestyle … the momentum will keep carrying forward and increase the overall demand for berries.” - Soren Bjorn “Marketing is — a lot of the time — simply putting the idea into the consumer’s mind … successful marketing is anticipating what the consumer really wants but hasn’t thought about.” - Soren Bjorn Topics covered include: Lessons the blueberry industry can take away from the pandemic. Bjorn’s thoughts on the future of the industry and making blueberries the world’s favorite fruit. The current state of labor in agriculture, and Driscoll’s new documentary titled “http://thelastharvestfilm.com/ (The Last Harvest).” Driscoll’s recent investment in vertical farming.

Marketing Boost March is a busy month for blueberries and USHBC! In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/grab-a-boost-of-blue/national-nutrition-month-toolkit/ (National Nutrition Month) and https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/grab-a-boost-of-blue/frozen-food-month/ (Frozen Food Month, )and how you can leverage both of these periods in your marketing mix.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), recaps USHBC’s presentation at last week’s Oregon Blueberry Conference in Salem, Oregon. Cronquist and USHBC and NABC Vice President of Global Business Development Alicia Adler presented together at the conference, giving an overview of what USHBC is doing on behalf of the industry to execute USHBC’s new five-year strategic plan. During this episode, you’ll hear clips from both Cronquist and Adler that were recorded live at the conference. Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Mario Ramírez in Mexico, Luis Vegas in Peru, and Isabel Qurioz in Chile. This was recorded on February 23, 2022. Marketing Boost How does a Blueberry Cornflake Chicken Waffle Cone sound? Or maybe you'd like a Blueberry Avocado Trifle? On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses two dozen blueberry recipes tested and tasted at USHBC's Culinary Innovation Workshop held last week in Boulder, Colorado.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Vonnie Estes, vice president of innovation for the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), to discuss how Estes is helping the fresh produce industry harness technology. “I really try to bring technology to the produce industry and bring the produce industry to technology. ” - Vonnie Estes “How do we take the risk off the grower so we can get more innovation out there and get [growers] more willing to try?” - Vonnie Estes Topics covered include: Estes’ day-to-day role as the IFPA vice president of innovation. What’s driving innovation in agriculture and what areas still need technological improvements. The most tech-savvy sectors of agriculture. What the blueberry industry can be doing to foster more tech investment.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Mario Ramírez in Mexico. This was recorded on February 16, 2022.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Ellie Symes, CEO of The Bee Corp, and Luis De La Garza, general manager of Royal Oaks Farms, to discuss technology that helps beekeepers maximize pollination revenue per hive, and aids growers in reducing costs and optimizing pollination quality. “Our growers use [Verifli] to make sure they’re good to go for pollination and to make sure they’re getting what they paid for in the hives that they rent. …We’re also interested in helping growers to determine how many hives they need per acre and what is their optimum. How far can they decrease this cost and still get good strong berries? ” - Ellie Symes “This technology is not invasive, you can just scan the [beehive box] and get a very good idea of the health of the colony. ” - Luis De La Garza Topics covered include: How The Bee Corp was founded by Ellie Symes. The function of The Bee Corp’s proprietary software, Verifli, and how it helps improve pollination efficiencies. De La Garza’s experience with Verifli on his berry farms in Watsonville, California. Advice from Symes on how to best maximize the pollination window.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Andres Armstrong in Chile and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on February 9, 2022. Marketing Boost Public relations is a key component in USHBC’s marketing mix. On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses the latest health research and how that was parlayed into a successful PR campaign.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and co-host Alicia Adler, USHBC and NABC vice president of global business development, are joined by Mark Crowell, CEO and co-founder of CuliNex, to discuss last fall’s Blueberry Bootcamp episode, and the future of blueberries as a “clean label” ingredient. “At the beginning [of CuliNex] we called it organic and natural products. Today, we have a broader label that is accepted, which is ‘clean label’ product development, and blueberries fit in perfectly within that focus for us. ” - Mark Crowell “Blueberries make people happy. It’s the feel-good fruit.” - Mark Crowell Topics covered include: Crowell’s background in the food ingredient space, including his time at Starbucks and founding CuliNex in 2005. Overview of the “clean label” initiative and CuliNex’s role in developing clean label products. Cowell’s takeaways from last fall’s Blueberry Bootcamp, and how USHBC’s new partnerships are fostering collaboration in the industry. The endless possibilities for blueberries as an ingredient.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Andres Armstrong in Chile, Luis Vegas in Peru, and Mario Ramírez in Mexico. This was recorded on February 2, 2022 Marketing Boost “Grab a Boost of Blue” isn’t USHBC’s brand – it’s the industry’s call to action to motivate consumers to make blueberries part of their everyday lifestyle. On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses the success of “Grab a Boost of Blue” and why that matters for the industry.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by USDA Under Secretary Jenny Moffitt to discuss USDA priorities and their relevance to blueberries. “I see the power and the value for producers in pooling our money together to promote our products and also to address critical needs [such as] research needs that are specific to what we’re growing and producing. ” - Jenny Moffitt “This is about getting healthy blueberries into schools and into food banks … I know as a walnut producer, we talk about all the antioxidant powers that I know blueberries have as well.” - Jenny Moffitt Topics covered include: Moffitt’s background in the walnut industry and how she ended up as USDA Under Secretary. Current USDA initiatives, including increasing access to healthy food and creating efficiencies in the supply chain. Encouraging partnership between states, agricultural stakeholders and institutions. Organic practices and ensuring quality in the organic produce space.

Marketing Boost February is Heart Health Month! USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses the importance of this month and how it can help promote blueberries as a heart-healthy snack for all. Visit ushbc.org/toolkits to find Heart Health Month resources.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Amanda Griffin, USHBC/NABC vice president of engagement and education, to discuss her new role with USHBC and her background in the produce industry. “A lot of [industry engagement] has to do with having your ears on the ground on what the folks you serve need most from you as an organization.” - Amanda Griffin “I always claimed when I was at United Fresh that my role wasn’t necessarily to be the expert on a certain topic; it’s more [about] how do you find those resources and deliver them back out to your membership and to your constituency.” - Amanda Griffin Topics covered include: Griffin’s industry background and her previous role with the United Fresh Produce Association. The most important aspects of industry engagement. Importance of feedback and parlaying feedback into improved programs. Griffin’s role in developing the new USHBC Leadership Program.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Andres Armstrong in Chile, Luis Vegas in Peru, and Mario Ramírez in Mexico. This was recorded on January 19, 2022. Marketing Boost Mark your calendars for January 28, because it’s https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/grab-a-boost-of-blue/turnkey-content/#blueberry-days (National Blueberry Pancake Day)! In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses the importance of this day and USHBC’s National Blueberry Pancake Day activities.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Ashlee Sikorski, team development coach at Sway Leadership, to discuss leadership development in the blueberry industry. “If you have 10 people at your company putting in an extra 10%, then you have a whole, full employee that isn’t even coming out of your budget. I think people who show up and are satisfied with their work and they’re happy to be there, they’re doing a job that suits who they are.” - Ashlee Sikorski “Old leadership styles are top down … there’s no collaboration happening with the staff … if you want [culture to be more long lasting], you’re going to be bringing your staff into it and then having higher retention.” - Ashlee Sikorski Topics covered include: Sikorski’s experience in professional development and how she ended up at Sway Leadership. The importance of empowering employees and developing self-leadership. Developing a culture and getting buy-in from staff. What an “enneagram” is and how it can help identify archetypes in the workplace.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Andres Armstrong in Chile, Luis Vegas in Peru, and Mario Ramírez in Mexico. This was recorded on January 12, 2022. Marketing Boost This March, USHBC will kick off its first power period of 2022 by leveraging https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/national-nutrition-month (National Nutrition Month®), an annual nutrition education campaign created and developed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses the upcoming month and the USHBC’s https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/national-nutrition-month (Nutrition Month Toolkit).

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Cort Brazelton, co-CEO of https://www.fallcreeknursery.com/ (Fall Creek Farm & Nursery), to discuss the latest International Blueberry Organization (IBO) State of the Industry report and the future of global blueberry production. “If the IBO is going to create more value in the future, we need a strong partnership with the USHBC, because no organization in the world is carrying the weight like the U.S. council. It’s as simple as that.” - Cort Brazelton “To get more share of the stomach, we don’t just do it through fresh, we get our product into more foods people eat. But to do that, the market – the buying side – has to have confidence, availability, consistency in pricing and getting the type of product they want. ” - Cort Brazelton Topics covered include: Overview and function of the IBO State of the Industry report, now free to all. Importance of meeting in person and collaborating. IBO’s role in contextualizing the global blueberry business. How having reliable and easily accessible data can help growing and production decisions.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Ken Patterson, NABC chair and co-owner of Island Grove Ag Products, to offer some holiday greetings and preview the upcoming NABC/USHBC Spring Meetings in Tampa, Florida, in early March. “I wanted to be on the forefront of understanding where this industry was going to go and help however I can to push it in that direction.” - Ken Patterson

“You develop relationships and that’s what this business is about … there’s nothing like shaking somebody’s hand, looking them in the eye and talking about blueberries.” - Ken Patterson

Topics include: Patterson’s extensive experience in the blueberry industry and what has changed since he started. The role Florida has in kicking off the domestic blueberry growing season. Why and how Patterson got involved in NABC and his impact on NABC’s policy positions. A preview of the upcoming Spring Meetings and what to expect if you’re attending in Tampa.

The 2022 Spring Meetings will take place on March 1-4 in Tampa, Florida. Registration will open in early January.

Marketing Boost Since launching Grab a Boost of Blue in early 2021, USHBC has centered its promotional programming around this motivating call to action and worked with many in our industry to use it in their marketing as a rallying cry for consumers to buy more blueberries. In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks details the hard work and collaboration that has led to an exciting milestone to cap off year one of Grab a Boost of Blue: It’s now being featured on blueberry packaging!

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by three blueberry growers in the Pacific Northwest to discuss the unprecedented and catastrophic flooding in areas of British Columbia and Washington state. Growers interviewed include: Steve Phillips of Berryhill Foods in British Columbia, Canada. Jason Smith of Fraser Berry Farms, also in British Columbia. Bryan Sakuma of Sakuma Farms in Washington.

Each details their experience with the floods and how it affected their growing operations and communities at large. Each grower details their experience with the floods and how it affected their growing operations and their communities at large. Check out ourhttps://ushbc.blueberry.org/podcast/ ( podcast page) for all recent episodes. Know someone who’d be interested in this podcast? Please forward this email and encourage them tohttps://ushbc.blueberry.org/subscribe/ ( sign up) to receive live updates when new episodes are released.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Gunnar Avinelis, CEO of https://agricare.com/ (AgriCare), to discuss the firm’s creative approach to employee engagement and what it could mean for the larger agriculture industry. “[By choosing an employee stock ownership plan structure], we would not only preserve a legacy, but build a new legacy, and build companies that last far beyond what our families can be and do. …We want what we’re doing to last for a long time and to grow with new ideas.” - Gunnar Avinelis “Never has hearing what’s important to our employees and creating a better work environment been more essential than it is now, and for many companies, we have to look at more than just paying people more, because that’s not always an option in lean times.” - Gunnar Avinelis

Topics covered include: Avinelis’ background in the blueberry industry. Overview of AgriCare’s function in the produce industry as a full-service management business. How AgriCare arrived at its employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) structure and how it helps alleviate labor challenges. Mechanics of an ESOP and how employees engage with the company as a result.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Rameriez in Mexico. This was recorded on December 15, 2021. Marketing Boost USHBC has launched the first-ever blueberry Alexa Skill! In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses this amazing new feature and details how your consumers, community, and partners can grab a boost of blue with A Blueberry Boost! And don’t forget to check out our https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/alexa-skill-a-blueberry-boost/ (Alexa Skill: A Blueberry Boost Toolkit).

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Dwight Ferguson, president and CEO of the https://www.agleaders.org/ (California Agricultural Leadership Foundation), to discuss his thoughts on leadership, developing the next generation of leaders and his role in merging the Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh. “PMA has historically done certain things extremely well, just as [United Fresh] has, and it truly was, as we said several times during the process, an opportunity to create something better by pulling those two organizations together and truly aiding what’s now going to be a global trade association for fresh produce and floral.” - Dwight Ferguson “Where we can add the most value [for our program participants] is helping them evolve their leadership skills so hopefully they can become more influential and make that positive difference that ultimately benefits ag and California.” - Dwight Ferguson Topics covered include: Ferguson’s background in the cut flower and produce industries. Ferguson’s role in merging Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh into the International Fresh Produce Association. The mission and structure of the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation. Building leaders in the blueberry industry and guiding big-picture thinking.

Marketing Boost Recipes are a fantastic way to engage customers this holiday season, especially when those recipes are fun and unique. In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks details https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/grab-a-boost-of-blue/holiday-toolkit/ (USHBC’s Fall & Winter Holidays toolkit), which is filled with images, videos and downloadable recipe cards for the holiday season.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Andres Armstrong, executive director of the Chilean Blueberry Committee, to discuss expectations for the upcoming growing season in Chile and share about the dynamic changes taking place for blueberries on the ground in Chile. “We’ve been trying to look for new and better markets for fruit and I think [Chile] has been quite successful in that sense.” - Andres Armstrong “What is happening in the U.S. is happening in Europe and is happening in Asia ... fruit is going where the opportunities are and opportunities [for blueberries] are growing everywhere.” - Andres Armstrong Topics covered include: The state of Chilean blueberry production and how Chile is responding to increased supply across the world. Armstrong’s perspective on global growth development and the opportunities to collaborate with the U.S. market. Current challenges with logistics and moving fruit around the world. Improving labor efficiency at Chile blueberry farms.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on December 1, 2021. Marketing Boost USHBC makes it easy for your customers to get into the holiday spirit. In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks details https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/grab-a-boost-of-blue/holiday-toolkit/ (USHBC’s Fall & Winter Holidays toolkit), which is filled with recipes and content for the holiday season.

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“Blueberries are a plant in which the varieties are clones. That is, if you find one good plant, you chop it into one hundred million pieces and each one becomes a plant identical to the original plant.” - Paul Lyrene, Ph.D.

“The flavor of a blueberry depends on both the variety and where it’s grown and how it’s grown. There are probably 1,000 different chemicals in a blueberry that are natural compounds that all have some influence on the flavor. ” - Paul Lyrene, Ph.D.

Topics covered include: The history of blueberry cultivation in Florida. What brought Lyrene to the blueberry industry. The development of taste in blueberries and what goes into a good-tasting blueberry. Future improvements to blueberry cultivars. Improving private breeding program.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Shelly Hartmann, owner of True Blue Farms and USHBC chair, to discuss the results of the recent referendum vote and where the USHBC goes from here. “We really need to encourage grower participation. This is a grower’s program. They need to be involved and they need to be up to speed on the strategic plan and the direction that this organization is going. ...I only see it getting better for growers and I’m so excited to be able to say that.” - Shelly Hartmann Topics covered include: An overview of the referendum results and how they were tabulated. A look at the blueberry industry’s next five years. How to get involved and keep the positive momentum going. The importance of staying unified and respecting varying opinions in the industry.

Marketing Boost With Thanksgiving around the corner, it’s important to express gratitude to your customers. In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks talks about how expressing gratitude can build brand loyalty.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and co-host Alicia Adler, USHBC and NABC vice president of global business development, are joined by Jake Briere, corporate chef at https://www.chobani.com/ (Chobani) and a member of the USHBC R&D Advisory Board. Adler and Cronquist bring Briere on to discuss where the food industry is innovating and what that means for blueberries as an ingredient in packaged food products. “Having the chance to talk to this group of individuals throughout the rest of the [R&D Advisory Board], while we all collectively work with [blueberries] in some format, really gives me the full picture of the entire process from farming to processing to when it finally goes on the shelf.” - Jake Briere “For us at Chobani...we often look at categories that we feel we can disrupt in some format and provide more healthy options for the consumer. If you give them great tasting food that’s also good for you, they’re bound to choose that option.” - Jake Briere Topics covered include: The establishment of the R&D Advisory Board and Jake’s experience with the blueberry industry so far. Jake’s role at Chobani and how he develops recipes for commercial and business-to-business use. The evolution of innovation in the food industry, particularly in the dairy category. Consumer product formats that are ideal for blueberries.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru, Federico Bayá from Argentina, and making his 2021 debut on the USHBC Crop Report, Andres Armstrong from Chile. This was recorded on November 10, 2021.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), recaps the Blueberry Innovation Bootcamp that took place recently in Seattle, Washington. Cronquist takes you through an audio version of the bootcamp that highlights the value and opportunities blueberries bring as an ingredient. In this episode, you’ll hear from: Dave Arena, owner of https://www.donio.com/ (Frank Donio, Inc). Chef Dina Paz, managing culinary director of the https://www.srg.com/ (Sterling-Rice Group). Leslie Wada, Ph.D., https://ushbc.blueberry.org/newsroom/leslie-wada-appointed-as-ushbc-and-nabcs-first-ever-senior-director-of-nutrition-and-health-research/ (USHBC senior director of nutrition and health research). Dave Lundahl, founder and CEO of https://www.insightsnow.com/ (InsightsNow). Mark Crowell, CEO of https://www.culinex.biz/ (CuliNex).

Marketing Boost Public relations and earned media help create awareness of blueberries in publications everywhere. In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks details USHBC’s efforts in the earned media space and what it means for marketing blueberries.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), recaps the genetics panel that recently took place as a part of Innovate 2021. Cronquist takes you through an audio version of the panel that highlights technology and how it informs the consumer experience with blueberries. In this episode, you’ll hear from: Ridley Bell, owner of http://www.mountainblue.com.au (Mountain Blue Orchards) in New South Wales, Australia, and a blueberry genetics pioneer. Patricio Munoz, assistant professor in the https://hos.ifas.ufl.edu/ (Horticultural Sciences Department at the University of Florida). Adam Wagner, breeding manager at https://www.oblueberry.com/ (Oregon Blueberry Farms and Nursery). Paul Sandefur, breeding manager at https://www.fallcreeknursery.com/ (Fall Creek Farm & Nursery).

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru and Federico Bayá from Argentina. This was recorded on October 28, 2021. Marketing Boost Storytelling is critical in effectively marketing a product, service or company. It’s no longer about simply selling. In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks details the importance of storytelling and how it can be used in your marketing plans.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), recaps the Tech Tour that took place recently as part of Innovate 2021. Cronquist takes you on an audio version of the Tech Tour that highlights forward-thinking field experiments happening today in the blueberry industry. In this episode, you’ll hear from: Josh Dietrich, farm manager at http://www.pbgblues.com/ (PanAmerican Berry Growers), talking about their cooling system that helped save their crop during the Pacific Northwest heat wave. Dr. Bernadine Strik, professor of horticulture and a berry crop specialist at https://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/users/bernadine-strik (Oregon State University), demonstrating research on mulch and fertilization in organic blueberries. Jim Hoffman of Hopville Farms speaking about the energy savings of Monarch Tractors. George Kaufman, an agronomist at https://agricare.com/ (Agricare), introducing a pollinator habitat project implemented at Halls Ferry Farm. Steve Erickson, president and CEO at http://www.pbgblues.com/ (PanAmerican Berry Growers), speaking about the value of collaboration to keep bringing new innovations to the table.

To view the virtual Tech Tour videos from Innovate 2021, click the links below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QhOnLbTJHU (OSU Extension) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBBUK7raCI4 (Panamerican Berry Growers) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrUrnyFcmeU (Monarch/Hopville, Bee Better, Agricare, Peerbolt)

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru and Federico Bayá from Argentina. This was recorded on October 20, 2021. Marketing Boost Halloween is right around the corner and it provides marketers a creative way to promote blueberries! USHBC is capitalizing on these next few days with photography, social media posts and recipes, which are also free for industry members. Check out the https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/grab-a-boost-of-blue/holiday-toolkit/ (Fall & Winter Holidays) toolkit to see the latest.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), recaps the Tech Symposium that took place recently as part of Innovate 2021. Cronquist condenses nine hours of content into 30 minutes as he takes you through some of the highlights of this year’s symposium, with audio clips from some of the most popular sessions. Highlights include: “Technology and the Consumer Experience” panel with Paul Sandefur of https://www.fallcreeknursery.com/ (Fall Creek Farms). “Innovation in Pollination” session with Ian Collinson of https://www.beevt.com/ (Bee Vectoring Technology). “Robotics in the Field” with Andrew Herr from https://littauharvester.com/ (Littau Harvester). “Soil Carbon Sequestration” with Dr. Markus Kleber, professor at https://cropandsoil.oregonstate.edu/users/markus-kleber (Oregon State University). “Improvements in Fruit Quality” with Jackson Kempker of https://www.agrofresh.com/ (AgroFresh).

Marketing Boost When you can’t meet face to face with every prospective customer, what’s the best representation of your message? Your website. USHBC creates in-depth customized landing pages that capture the attention of target audiences. We invite you to check out http://www.blueberry.org (blueberry.org) to find recipes, food hacks, blueberry how-tos and all kinds of inspiration!

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and co-host Alicia Adler, USHBC and NABC vice president of global business development, are joined by Kelly Ewen, partner at https://www.roseresearch.com/ (Rose Research). Adler and Cronquist bring Ewen on to discuss the overall intention and findings of the recent USHBC-funded global consumer research study. “Consumption is extremely strong and high [in Southeast Asia]. They’re familiar with blueberries, they eat them often, they buy them often, when they run out of blueberries they make a special trip the store to buy more ... that is different than what we see with a lot of other commodities we work with.” - Kelly Ewen “Country of origin is important when purchasing blueberries in general and rolling into that, the U.S. itself has a favorable perception in all of these countries.” - Kelly Ewen Topics covered include: The methods used to determine the study questions. Current perception of blueberries in Southeast Asia. Results of the study, and what Southeast Asian markets have in common. The favorable perception of U.S. blueberries in global markets.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru and, making his debut on the USHBC Crop Report, Federico Bayá from Argentina. This was recorded on October 6, 2021.

Marketing Boost November is American Diabetes Month and it’s the perfect time to promote the health benefits of blueberries! In this week’s marketing boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks details how USHBC is helping marketers promote the month with the https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/grab-a-boost-of-blue/national-diabetes-month-toolkit/ (American Diabetes Month toolkit).

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Jennifer Sparks, USHBC/NABC vice president of marketing and communications, and Christie Wood, group account director at the Sterling-Rice Group. Cronquist brings Sparks and Wood on to discuss the recent https://www.flavorexperience.com/ (Flavor Experience) conference held in Monterey, California, in early September and how it relates to USHBC’s foodservice programs. Click https://foodprofessionals.blueberry.org/for-foodservice/#patron-demand-study (here) to read the recent USHBC Patron Study. “The [foodservice] industry is recovering much faster than expected, which is great news for all of us. And, some of those alternative [foodservice] formats that were created over the last year-and-a half are probably here to stay.” - Christie Wood Topics covered include: Sparks and Cronquist’s reflections on their first visit to the experience. The importance of having face-to-face conversations in conference settings. The state of the foodservice industry and how the pandemic changed relationships with restaurants. The reactions to USHBC recipe development from Flavor Experience attendees.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Rod Cook, industry veteran and the chair of the Blueberry Technology and Innovation Committee, sit down with Praveen Penmetsa, founder and CEO ofhttps://www.monarchtractor.com/ ( Monarch Tractor). While the blueberry industry isn’t known for being tractor-centric, this tractor will be part of the Innovate 2021 Technology Symposium, and it is one of the companies that is looking for ways to improve efficiency, reduce costs and promote sustainability. This company is reimagining what a tractor can be as an electric autonomous machine able to match the performance of traditional options. “Our technology acts as a bridge between farm economics and sustainability. And to be honest, just the diesel savings is not a compelling value proposition for farmers. So that's where the diesel savings plus labor savings plays in. So our tractor is a solution for that, and we are hoping that our tractor will bridge that gap.” - Praveen Penmetsa “We believe that our tractor can play a role in allowing farmers to tell their stories directly to the consumer versus having all these people in between tell that story for them. So that's how we focused on the small tractor. That's why we are in fruits and vegetables. And that's why it's a 40 horsepower tractor.” - Praveen Penmetsa Topics covered include: Introducing the use of the electric autonomous tractor for blueberry production opportunities. How these tractors can benefit the producer, the process of their development and the strategy in implementing them. Looking at this new technology and its ability to complement current farm implements.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on September 22, 2021. Marketing Boost National Pancake Day is Sunday, September 26! This is the perfect opportunity to promote adding a boost of blue to everybody’s favorite breakfast. In this week’s marketing boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks shares how to capitalize on opportunities like this to get people buzzing about blueberries. Fall Event Registration You can still register to attendhttps://www.blueberryevents.org/ ( Innovate 2021: USHBC+NABC Tech Symposium and Fall Meetings), Sept. 27-Oct.1, virtually! The virtual attendance option includes the Tech Symposium, Tech Tours and a host of USHBC committee meetings. While the event is at capacity for in-person attendance, interested stakeholders can register to participate virtually via a la carte pricing listedhttps://www.blueberryevents.org/fall21/registration ( here).

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Daniel Bustamante, president of http://www.proarandanos.org/ (Proarándanos) and chief commercial officer at https://www.acpagro.com/ (Agricola Cerro Prieto S.A). (ACP); Luis Vegas, general manager at http://www.proarandanos.org/ (Proarándanos); and Ryan Lockman, vice president of sales and procurement at North Bay Produce, to talk about the start of the Peruvian blueberry season and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for growth in the country. “The growth that the Preruivan industry has experienced is very impressive … this growth started, basically, with the traditional varieties, and now it’s changing toward new genetics that make better [export] arrivals and that are more suitable for whatever the market is demanding.” - Daniel Bustamante

“There are many different options in the produce aisle these days … to be relevant, we have to be [in grocery stores] 52 weeks a year with supply, price and product.” - Ryan Lockman

Topics covered include: The backgrounds of Bustamante, Vegas and Lockman, and what they do for ACP, Proarándanos and North Bay Produce, respectively. The rapid growth of the blueberry industry in Peru, the arrival of better genetics and potential challenges of continued growth. Comparisons between the avocado industry and blueberry industry. The importance of having a year-round crop and creating habitual customers.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Jason Smith in British Columbia and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on September 15, 2021.

Marketing Boost The foodservice sector is critical to promoting blueberry consumption. In this week’s marketing boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks talks about how getting blueberries on restaurant menus drives volume and so much more!

Fall Event Registration There’s still time to register to attend Innovate 2021: USHBC+NABC Tech Symposium and Fall Meetings, Sept. 27-Oct.1, virtually! The virtual attendance option includes the Tech Symposium, Tech Tours and a host of USHBC committee meetings. While the event is at capacity for in-person attendance, interested stakeholders can register to participate virtually via a la carte pricing, https://ushbc.blueberry.org/you-are-leaving/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blueberryevents.org%2Ffall21%2Fregistration (listed here).

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Joe Barsi, president of https://www.calgiant.com/ (California Giant Berry Farms), to discuss the inception of the https://nabc.blueberry.org/all-resources/advocacy-and-current-events/united-blueberry-task-force/ (United Blueberry Task Force) (UBTF). “Growers are the most important part of the business at [California Giant Berry Farms], and that comes from the leaders down. Without high-quality growers, we don’t really have a business.” - Joe Barsi “I think if you’re a significant player in the blueberry industry, and you believe in the future of the industry...doing the right thing together as an industry will help continue to raise all boats, so to speak.” - Joe Barsi Topics covered include: ● Barsi’s background in the berry industry, his role with California Giant Berry Farms, and the differences between berry industries. ● How and why the UBTF was founded. ● Importance of collaboration in the blueberry industry. Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Jason Smith in British Columbia, Rex Schultz in Michigan and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on September 8, 2021.

Marketing Boost Providing a seamless shopping experience is vital to any online grocery retailer. In this week’s marketing boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks talks about “omnichannel” marketing and how it uses data to bring the consumer what they want.

Fall Event Registration There’s still time to register to attend Innovate 2021: USHBC+NABC Tech Symposium and Fall Meetings, Sept. 27-Oct.1, virtually! The virtual attendance option includes the Tech Symposium, Tech Tours and a host of USHBC committee meetings. Register at https://ushbc.blueberry.org/you-are-leaving/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blueberryevents.org%2F (blueberry events.org) by Sept. 15 to take advantage of early-bird pricing.

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and co-host Alicia Adler, USHBC and NABC vice president of global business development, are joined by Mario Flores, director of product management for blueberries at Naturipe Farms, and Matt Lantz, vice president for global access at Bryant Christie, to discuss how the blueberry industry navigates the regulatory environment when marketing blueberries internationally. “In the last year-and-a-half, we have been able to open the Vietnam market for U.S. blueberries, the Philippines market for U.S. blueberries, and the Chinese market for U.S. blueberries … that is a lightning pace for the type of work [Bryant Christie does].” - Matt Lantz

“[Export market development] is a very important part of our overall marketing plan for our growers’ blueberries because we’re trying to find the best value that we can return back to the farm. And whether that is domestic or international sales, we’re going to try to find the market that can bring the most value back to the growers.” - Mario Flores

Topics covered include: Flores and Lantz’s backgrounds and their roles and experience at their companies. The importance of developing export markets for Naturipe. Why different regions have different work plans and protocols for entering their market. Inside negotiations between governments. Managing maximum residue limits (MRLs).

Marketing Boost https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/grab-a-boost-of-blue/holiday-toolkit/ (USHBC’s Fall & Winter Holidays Toolkit) is now available for industry stakeholders! In this week’s marketing boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks talks about USHBC’s latest toolkit and how it can be useful for your marketing plan throughout the fall and winter holiday seasons.

Fall Event Registration While in-person attendance is at capacity, virtual registration is still available for Innovate 2021: USHBC+NABC Tech Symposium and Fall Meetings! You don’t want to miss the tech-focused learning, opportunities to network and critical information shared in the meetings. Register today at https://ushbc.blueberry.org/you-are-leaving/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blueberryevents.org%2F (blueberryevents.org).

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Rod Cook, industry veteran and the chair of the Blueberry Technology and Innovation Committee, are joined by Gary Thompson, chief operating officer at https://gussag.com/ (GUSS Automation), to discuss the possibility of labor-saving spraying automation and how it might fit into a commercial blueberry operation. “We’re held to such a high threshold [by farmers], we’ve got to perform. That’s what we do … from day one we set out to make a very simple, robust design … it’s easy to work on, it’s easy to diagnose problems and it’s easy to operate.” - Gary Thompson “Let alone the autonomy, it is one of the best field sprayers you’ll ever look at.” - Gary Thompson Topics covered include: How GUSS got started in the automation spraying business through the almond industry. GUSS automated sprayers and their role in saving labor costs on farming operations. The simplicity of GUSS sprayers and the high standards farmers have for autonomous equipment. Partnering with dealers and creating a service network. Potential applications on blueberry farms.

https://player.captivate.fm/collection/0f51f93a-6f85-4ece-8015-89b990f8669f (Check out our full collection of technology episodes! )

Marketing Boost Using data is more important than ever to drive blueberry sales. In this week’s marketing boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks talks about the robust https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/data-and-insights-center/ (USHBC Data and Insights Center) and how it can help your business’ marketing plan.

Fall Event Registration There’s still time to register for Innovate 2021: USHBC+NABC Tech Symposium and Fall Meetings! You don’t want to miss the tech-focused learning, opportunities to network and critical information shared in the meetings. The event takes place at The Grand Hotel in Salem, Oregon, September 27-October 1, or you can attend virtually. Register today at https://ushbc.blueberry.org/you-are-leaving/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blueberryevents.org%2F (blueberryevents.org).

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In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), sits down with Daniel Jackson of https://familytreefarms.com/ (Family Tree Farms )and Raffaele Benedetti of https://en.unitec-group.com/fruit-vegetables-technology/blueberry-processing-sorting-grading-machines/ (UNITEC) to discuss innovations in blueberry sorting and sizing, and the impacts these innovations will have on the future of blueberries. “We had 150 people sorting these blueberries every day, and now [since implementing UNITEC technology] we’ve been able to scale that back to … 12-13 people doing the same work 150 people did, which I think is a pretty big swing.” - Daniel Jackson “There is a possibility that the blueberry is never touched by a human hand until it reaches the consumer … that, in my opinion, is a revolution.” - Raffaele Benedetti Topics covered include: The backgrounds of Family Tree Farms and UNITEC, and what brought them to a partnership. UNITEC’s move into blueberries and how they have gone beyond the typical sorting. Potential labor savings from using UNITEC technology. The potential of the “touchless experience” UNITEC sorters offer.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Doug Krahmer in Oregon, and Bryan Sakuma in Washington. This was recorded on August 18, 2021. Marketing Boost Educating your audience is always smart marketing. In this week’s marketing boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks shares why it’s important to continually share new ideas with your audience. Fall Event Registration Whether you’re already registered or are still considering attending Innovate 2021: USHBC+NABC Tech Symposium and Fall Meetings, be sure to check out our https://www.blueberryevents.org/fall21/Health (health and safety page) for all the ways we’re keeping attendee, exhibitor and staff health front and center. The event takes place at The Grand Hotel in Salem, Oregon, September 27-October 1, or you can attend virtually. Register today at https://ushbc.blueberry.org/you-are-leaving/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blueberryevents.org%2F (blueberryevents.org/).

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https://www.agronometrics.com (Agronometrics) is a platform that provides market performance analysis for the fresh produce industry. The firm helps clients make informed, data-driven decisions and identify marketing opportunities by leveraging data and analytics. Founder and CEO Colin Fain began his company “to help people not feel helpless” when studying data trends, and to offer a great tool for easier analysis and decision-making. In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), reports from Guadalajara, Mexico, where he was attending the annual meeting for Mexico’s berry trade association, the https://www.aneberries.mx/?lang=en (Aneberries Congress). While there, Fain shared how data is helping to grow the blueberry industry, provided insight into his event remarks and explained where he sees the blueberry category going in the future. “The place to start off with building any kind of data system is looking at the value that you want to drive with said data system. … As an industry starts to grow, uncertainty becomes a more and more expensive thing to deal with. Supply shocks, overstocking and not having enough inventory to move through the system becomes harder and harder to manage, and really a cost at the end of the day to the entire industry. So where you're able to consolidate the information from all the different players involved and reduce that level of uncertainty, that is a value added.” - Colin Fain “From where I’m standing … there is still hunger for this growth. And I think there is a good organization and structure to improve upon these factors and drive the consumption of blueberries.That's going to increase demand … so I'm incredibly optimistic for blueberries.” - Colin Fain Topics covered include: Fain’s background in market analysis and the value of Agronometrics for the produce industry. The development of the Mexican blueberry industry and its effects on the American market. The benefits and insights in the new report Agronometrics is creating, and how it can help blueberry producers make critical decisions.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Rex Schultz in Michigan, Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Bryan Sakuma in Washington, and Jason Smith in British Columbia. This was recorded on August 11, 2021.

Fall Event Registration Have you registered yet for Innovate 2021: USHBC+NABC Tech Symposium and Fall Meetings? The action takes place at The Grand Hotel in Salem, Oregon, September 27-October 1, with a virtual attendance option also available. Register today at http://blueberryevents.org (blueberryevents.org).

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After years of hard work and bilateral negotiation, consumers in China can finally enjoy fresh blueberries from the United States — the birthplace of modern blueberry cultivation. This summer, the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) teamed up with Pagoda, a leading fruit retailer in China, to hold a ceremony celebrating the arrival of fresh U.S. blueberries to mainland China, the first-ever promotion of USA fresh blueberries in China. In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and co-host Alicia Adler, USHBC and NABC vice president of global business development, talk about the significance of China being open to U.S. blueberries and the opportunities this could open for domestic blueberry growers and marketers. Joining Kasey and Alicia are Shelby Sackett and Sarah Gelpi Hooker of Bryant Christie International who talk about the foundation being created for opportunities in China. “[Establishing an office in the country] really is going to be making what you’re doing in China official, and we’re hoping that means getting blueberries over to China and opening up more doors for the industry.” - Sarah Gelpi Hooker “I already see our program being put to use. I think with Sarah and Shelby’s help, we’ve retained an in-country market representative, not only to help us through this process, but to help us develop the market and establish a program.” - Alicia Adler Topics covered include: ● The impact of gaining access for U.S. blueberries in a country of over 1 billion people. ● What’s involved in opening global markets, and the USHBC’s work to do so. ● Importance of global market development to the blueberry industry. ● The successful arrival of fresh U.S. blueberries to China in 2021. Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Rex Schultz in Michigan, Doug Krahmer in Oregon, and Bryan Sakuma in Washington. This was recorded on August 4, 2021. Marketing Boost Last week, as the crowning touch to National Blueberry Month, USHBC announced the winners of America’s Best Blueberry Pie Contest. USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks shares more about the contest that netted over 200 blueberry pie recipes from across the country. Fall Event Registration Have you registered yet for Innovate 2021: USHBC+NABC Tech Symposium and Fall Meetings? The action takes place at The Grand Hotel in Salem, Oregon, September 27-October 1, with a virtual attendance option also available. Register today at blueberryevents.org/.

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True leadership means leaving things better than how you found them, and that’s certainly been the case with Chris Barnhill serving as chair of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC). Chris recently stepped down from this role, handing the reins over to Michigan blueberry grower Shelly Hartmann, who previously served as the organization’s vice chair. Both are longtime industry leaders who have worked selflessly over the years to serve and improve the blueberry industry. In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), speaks with Chris and Shelly about their leadership roles, the importance of unity and collaboration in the blueberry industry, and ways we can continue to work together to improve and strengthen the industry.

“I think the unity of the industry and the willingness to help each other is awesome in this industry. If we lose that, then we’ve lost the game.” - Chris Barnhill

“Blueberries are our livelihood, and farming is our way of life. And part of that proud tradition of being a farmer is the stewardship of the land, but it’s also the cultivation of the relationships and the respect and the care that we have for one another. That’s what this organization is about.” - Shelly Hartmann

Topics covered include: The impact and legacy of two longtime industry leaders. Importance of engagement and opportunities for involvement in the blueberry industry. Perspective from two industry leaders about what’s ahead for blueberries.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Matt Macrie in New Jersey, Rex Schultz in Michigan, Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Bryan Sakuma in Washington, and Jason Smith in British Columbia. This was recorded on July 28, 2021.

Marketing Boost Did you know that 73% of restaurant patrons believe blueberries make a dish more appealing, or that 64% believe they make a dish taste better? And, important for foodservice operators, that 70% indicate a willingness to pay more for dishes that include blueberries? In this week’s marketing boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks shares more about the recently completed 2021 Patron Demand Study, which provides all of this insight and more.

Fall Event Registration Have you registered yet for Innovate 2021: USHBC+NABC Tech Symposium and Fall Meetings? The action takes place at The Grand Hotel in Salem, Oregon, September 27-October 1, with a virtual attendance option also available. But super-early-bird pricing ends July 31, so don’t delay! Register today at https://ushbc.blueberry.org/you-are-leaving/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blueberryevents.org%2F (blueberryevents.org/).

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As the next generation of blueberry growers gets more involved in the industry, the ambition, future-focused thinking, hard work and innovation they apply to their operations is a source of inspiration. This episode features one young grower who was recently named one of The Packer’s “Women in Produce,” and offers hope for the future for all involved in the blueberry business. In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), speaks with New Jersey grower and emerging industry leader Chelsea Consalo. In a wide-ranging conversation, Chelsea shares her motivations for staying involved in the family blueberry business, ways her farm has innovated and improved in recent years, and words of advice and encouragement for other young blueberry growers. “For me, because my family has such a long history, that really motivates me. When we’re in the season, and we’re tired and we’re working really hard, I really think about what my family has built here, and I want to keep that going. I see this beautiful crop that we’ve brought to fruition and we’re getting to consumers, and that makes me really proud.” - Chelsea Consalo “I encourage other people my age to get involved [in industry leadership programs]. I feel like that’s the most important thing, to get out there and meet people because that’s how you get more involved, and you meet friends, and you meet older mentors. I think networking is how you grow the industry, and getting younger people involved is the next step.” - Chelsea Consalo Topics covered include: Insight about New Jersey’s 2021 blueberry season. History of Consalo Family Farms, a fourth-generation blueberry operation. Innovations the operation has implemented to improve efficiencies. Perspective from an emerging leader about the importance of industry engagement and involvement early on.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Bryan Sakuma, Matt Macrie in New Jersey, Pat Goin in Indiana, and Jason Smith in British Columbia. This was recorded on July 21, 2021. Fall Event Registration As opportunities to gather again in person open up, the USHBC and NABC are pleased to announce that registration for Innovate 2021: USHBC+NABC Tech Symposium and Fall Meetings is now open! The action takes place at The Grand Hotel in Salem, Oregon, September 27-October 1, with a virtual attendance option also available. Don’t delay – super-early-bird pricing ends July 31! Register today at https://ushbc.blueberry.org/you-are-leaving/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blueberryevents.org%2F (blueberryevents.org/).

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July is National Blueberry Month, and the USHBC team has been working for months on ways to capitalize on this important time period for the industry, get blueberries in the spotlight and turn blueberry consumers into blueberry enthusiasts. A number of strategic and creative programs and events have already taken place to get consumers thinking about blueberries, including an attempt at a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS ™ title for the tallest stack of blueberry pancakes on live television featuring a https://blueberry.org/recipes/stackable-blueberry-pancakes/ (custom recipe) created by USHBC partner and chef George Duran (@ChefGeorgeDuran). In this episode, host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by USHBC and NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks for a conversation with Chef Duran about one of the most exciting elements of National Blueberry Month so far, the behind-the-scenes moments on the set of “Good Morning America,” and why this experience was a big win for the blueberry industry. “Earned media coverage, particularly on a national level, is extremely hard to come by and it really takes strategy and creativity to make it happen and to make it something that the news outlet sees as worthy to provide to their audience. We were able to do that, as well as call out the benefits and the fun and the versatility of blueberries.” - Jenni Sparks “One silver lining was that at the end of the day, this massive amount of blueberry pancakes we had were actually going to be used for good. When we visited Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, the largest soup kitchen in New York City, with the blueberries and blueberry pancakes, they had open arms and were happy and excited to see us.” - Chef George Duran Topics covered include: Current promotions and activations, and ways the industry can get involved, including use of our https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/grab-a-boost-of-blue/national-blueberry-month-toolkit/ (National Blueberry Month Toolkit). Blueberries’ monumental moment on “Good Morning America.” Behind the scenes of attempting a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS ™ title on live television. How USHBC and the industry gave back as part of National Blueberry Day.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Matt Macrie in New Jersey, Rex Schultz in Michigan, Bryan Sakuma in Washington, and Jason Smith in British Columbia. This was recorded on July 14, 2021. Fall Event Registration As opportunities to gather again in person open up, the USHBC and NABC are pleased to announce that registration for Innovate 2021: USHBC+NABC Tech Symposium and Fall Meetings is now open! The action takes place at The Grand Hotel in Salem, Oregon, September 27-October 1, with a virtual attendance option also available. Register today at https://ushbc.blueberry.org/you-are-leaving/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blueberryevents.org%2F (blueberryevents.org/)

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There is no better way to find out what’s really happening in the blueberry industry than to get out to some actual blueberry fields. In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Georgia blueberry grower and emerging industry leader Michael Thomas shares how his 2021 harvest has gone and why he’s optimistic about the future of blueberries. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), visits Thomas Family Farms in Blackshear, Georgia for this conversation with Michael, which provides insight on this year’s Georgia blueberry season, opportunities ahead for continuing to drive demand, and history and background from this first-generation blueberry grower. “I think we're optimistic about the future of blueberries. I think there’s still room for growth, and if we can continue to be proactive on education about the health benefits of blueberries, I think there’s a future in blueberries for all of us.” - Michael Thomas “The Georgia crop from the beginning of the season was estimated to be a pretty heavy yielding year, and for us it turned out to be that way. Pricing overall for the whole industry was definitely better this year than it's been in previous years even with a much larger crop, so overall, I'd have to summarize this year as a success.” - Michael Thomas Topics covered include: Feedback from an emerging industry leader about the future of the blueberry industry. Importance of and opportunities for grower involvement and leadership in organizations like the USHBC. Insights about the 2021 Georgia blueberry season. Opportunities for growing demand and consumption of blueberries.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Pat Goin in Indiana, Rex Schultz in Michigan, Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Bryan Sakuma in Washington, and Jason Smith in British Columbia. This was recorded on July 7, 2021. Marketing Boost National Blueberry Month is in full swing, and at USHBC, we’re making sure our strategies, tools and tactics are working for the good of the industry. In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks shares how promotions, advertising, social content, industry engagement and other efforts are helping get eyes, ears and taste buds on blueberries during this important power period. You can join the fun by visiting our comprehensive National Blueberry Month tool kit at http://www.ushbc.org/toolkits (www.ushbc.org/toolkits) - it’s like having your own advertising agency at your fingertips.

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In this kick-off to Season Two of “The Business of Blueberries,” some familiar voices from past episodes come together to talk about highlights of the first season, share their thoughts about what’s coming in future episodes, and provide some behind-the-scenes insight about what it takes to bring this podcast together every week. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by a few podcast regulars,including Rod Cook, industry veteran and the chair of the Blueberry Technology and Innovation Committee, and USHBC/NABC team members Alicia Adler, vice president of global business development, and Jill Scofield, director of communication and industry relations. Also chiming in is Tim Hammerich who produces each episode and can be heard in his own podcast, https://futureofag.com/ (The Future of Agriculture).

“This podcast has helped both educate blueberry growers on what technology is out there, and also introduce technology leaders to the blueberry industry and help them better understand our needs. That’s encouraging people to begin to develop solutions for our day-to-day problems.” Rod Cook

“One recent comment was from someone who’s been in the industry longer than I have, and they said they learn something new from each episode, and that the podcast takes them outside their own role in the industry to provide a greater context. That speaks to the true intention of the council.” Alicia Adler

“We have a growing audience, but more than anything we have a responsive audience, which is what has really struck me about the blueberry industry.” Tim Hammerich

Topics covered include: Key take-aways from the first season of The Business of Blueberries. Direct impact the podcast has had on the blueberry industry Insight about additional issues and topics to be covered in season two

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Matt Macrie in New Jersey, Doug Krahmer in Oregon and Bryan Sakuma in Washington. This was recorded on June 30, 2021.

Marketing Boost In today’s fast-paced and information-flooded environment, content is king. We know that audiences want to be inspired, educated and engaged. That’s why USHBC recently revamped and relaunched its websites specifically tailored to consumers, health professionals and food professionals, enhancing the user experience and promoting all things blueberry in a way that relates to them. On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks shares how industry members can also benefit from and utilize these new sites.

One Last Call For ‘Business of Blueberries’ Survey If you haven’t already completed our https://forms.gle/cZy39NMLqjRyEPgq5 (brief survey), this is your last chance to share what you like about the podcast, what we could do better and what topics you’d like us to explore further. Take a moment to share your feedback!

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The Pacific Northwest is enduring a record-breaking heatwave, with the full impact still being assessed. For the blueberry industry in particular, the heat wave came at a critical time, as growers in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia enter peak blueberry season. While the extent of this events’ damage will not be understood for a while, it is clear from this podcast’s local grower testimony that the blueberry industry in this region is working carefully through this unprecedented heat to mitigate the effects to the extent possible: “We want to make sure our buyers understand we are going to have good quality fruit, though there might be a hiccup here for a week or two while we work around the damaged fruit and some of the green fruit ripens up.” Doug Krahmer, Oregon “There’s different levels of effect from the heat depending on variety, plant size, and other factors, so there’s a lot of variability. But the affected fruit should dry out and fall off, and what’s left should be good quality.” Jason Smith, British Columbia “I think there’s a lot of uncertainty still out there, but right now I think people are thinking the volume is still out there, it may be a direction of where it goes between fresh and frozen.” Bryan Sakuma “What was uppermost in our minds was to keep our employees safe first, and then do the best we could for our crop after that.” Doug Krahmer, Oregon This special edition of The Business of Blueberries brings growers from areas most affected by the heat wave who came together in the immediate aftermath to provide a look at what’s happening on the ground. Doug Krahmer of Oregon, Bryan Sakuma of Washington and Jason Smith of British Columbia join U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and North American Blueberry Council President Kasey Cronquist for a conversation about this crisis, what the Pacific Northwest blueberry community has done to mitigate the heat and its impact, and an early outlook for what the future weeks might bring.

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To close the first season of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), reflects on some of the most insightful moments from season one of the podcast. In this episode, you’ll hear curated audio clips from: https://ushbc.blueberry.org/podcast/building-a-blueberry-culture-that-delights-customers-with-tom-avinelis/ (Episode 9) with Tom Avinelis, founder and managing partner at Agriculture Capital. https://ushbc.blueberry.org/podcast/a-vision-for-blueberries-with-denny-doyle/ (Episode 16) with Denny Doyle, blueberry grower from New Jersey and president of the New Jersey Blueberry Industry Advisory Council. https://ushbc.blueberry.org/podcast/the-florida-blueberry-forecast-with-brittany-lee/ (Episode 36) with Brittany Lee, executive director at Florida Blueberry Growers.

All three guests provided important insights into the future of the blueberry industry. Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Matt Macrie in New Jersey, Neil Moore in North Carolina, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia and Doug Krahmer in Oregon. This was recorded on June 23, 2021. Marketing Boost Generating media coverage is a fantastic way to capture consumers’ attention, and there’s no better time to do so than during National Blueberry Month. On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks explains the importance of public relations in your community and how to leverage your business as the local expert. Check out our National Blueberry Month media tips https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/grab-a-boost-of-blue/national-blueberry-month-toolkit/#media-tips (here).

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Last week, growers Doug Krahmer and Mark Hurst visited USHBC headquarters. It was the first in-person meeting with USHBC staff in over a year. On this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” we sit down with Doug and Mark for a conversation about what took place during these productive meetings, and the overall status of USBHC. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Doug Krahmer, president of Berries Northwest in Oregon and a member of the NABC Finance Committee, and Mark Hurst, owner of Hurst Berry Farm in Oregon and a member of the USHBC Innovation & Technology Committee. “Coming in, being able to see staff, see the open layout … better acquaint ourselves with the staff and their responsibilities … I think that is important for those of us who are members of these organizations.” - Mark Hurst “Even though our industry has grown by leaps and bounds, our integrity is still there. We’re still hitting the high marks that we expect and it was great to see that. ” - Doug Krahmer Topics covered include: Recap of the day’s meetings and what it was like to meet in person again. First impressions of the new USHBC offices in Folsom, California. Standout moments from meeting the USHBC staff.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Matt Macrie in New Jersey, Neil Moore in North Carolina, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Eric Stafne in Mississippi and Bill Steed in California. This was recorded on June 16, 2021. Marketing Boost With National Blueberry Month just around the corner, it’s time to search for https://ushbc.blueberry.org/request-promotional-materials/ (America’s Best Blueberry Pie Recipe)! USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks explains the contest for consumers, which includes a grand prize of $10,000! To request FREE flyers and/or postcards to promote the contest at your operation, fill out this https://ushbc.blueberry.org/request-promotional-materials/#request-print (simple form) and we’ll ship them to you at no cost. The blueberry pie contest is open now through July 12, so order your materials today. https://ushbc.blueberry.org/request-promotional-materials/#download-digital (Digital versions) are also available! Reminder: Complete Our ‘Business of Blueberries’ Survey This is the last week to share your feedback with us! https://forms.gle/cZy39NMLqjRyEPgq5 (This brief survey) is your chance to share what you like about the podcast, what we could do better and what topics you’d like us to explore further. Plus, by completing the survey, you’ll be entered to win a “Business of Blueberries” YETI tumbler!

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For this technology themed episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” we’re diving into a topic that sounds so futuristic, it could be straight from a science fiction movie. That topic is vertical farming. While the method and technology has mainly been used in growing leafy greens, vertical farming companies are partnering with berry production companies like https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210330005429/en/AeroFarms-and-Hortifrut-Announce-RD-Partnership-to-Advance-the-Next-Generation-of-Blueberry-and-Caneberry-Production-in-Vertical-Farms (Hortifrut) to explore the viability for blueberries. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Rod Cook, industry veteran and the chair of the Blueberry Technology and Innovation Committee, are joined by David Rosenberg, Co-Founder and CEO of https://www.aerofarms.com/ (AeroFarms) for a riveting conversation about the potential for blueberries being grown in vertical farming operations. “The idea is we could grow plants on the equator or the North Pole or anywhere in the world so anyone has access to fresh, great tasting produce, fruits and vegetables any time of the year.” - David Rosenberg “I truly hope there are ways we can grow plants that are beneficial to the field farmers. We’ve done it before and I think we’ll do it again...there’s a lot of ways we can work together to solve problems and grow better plants for people. ” - David Rosenberg Topics covered include: The inception of AeroFarms and their success in farming leafy greens Viability of growing blueberries using AeroFarms’ vertical farming technology AeroFarms and their collaboration with experts across agriculture

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria in Mexico, Elizabeth Carranza in California, and Eric Stafne in Mississippi. This was recorded on June 9, 2021. Marketing Boost With July just around the corner, that can mean only one thing: National Blueberry Month! USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks gives a preview of the best month of the year and details how you can get involved. Please join our FREE WEBINAR on Tuesday, June 15 (12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET), to learn how you can leverage USHBC resources to engage your customers and drive blueberry demand throughout July. Click https://ushbc.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f586f7d9c425e2bea07008bec&id=28f5e96d0d&e=574c91bd2a (here) to register. Reminder: Complete Our ‘Business of Blueberries’ Survey Don’t forget to share your feedback with us! https://forms.gle/cZy39NMLqjRyEPgq5 (This brief survey) is your chance to share what you like about the podcast, what we could do better and what topics you’d like us to explore further. Plus, by completing the survey, you’ll be entered to win a “Business of Blueberries” YETI tumbler!

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For the 50th episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” there’s simply no better opportunity to bring back longtime industry leader Tom Bodtke for another conversation about what’s ahead for the blueberry industry. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Tom Bodtke, owner of Cornerstone Ag Enterprises based in Michigan, a USHBC board member, member of the USHBC Industry Relations Committee and past chair of the NABC. “It’s going to take new and different channels to move the increasing amount of production of blueberries. New varieties can make a difference in that, but hopefully in the big picture, we can sell more blueberries at stronger pricing, and that’s going to take more investment on the front end.” - Tom Bodtke “I don’t think our goal is to raise demand or consumption at a lower price point, the idea is that you’re going to sell more berries at the same or higher price point. That’s what true demand lift is, and that’s what we’re seeking to do at the USHBC.” - Tom Bodtke “I do believe the job ahead is to improve the demand in the marketplace, combined with that eating experience where we’re exceeding the expectations of the consumer to the point where we’re infusing energy into the category and people keep coming back to blueberries.That’s an exciting future.” - Kasey Cronquist Topics covered include: Lessons in leadership from a blueberry industry veteran. The importance of the industry coming together to address challenges. What’s needed to continue growth of the blueberry category. Opportunities ahead for the industry.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria in Mexico, Elizabeth Carranza in California, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Neil Moore in North Carolina, and Eric Stafne in Mississippi. This was recorded on June 2, 2021. Marketing Boost https://ushbc.blueberry.org/blog/new-brain-health-program-encourages-consumers-to-grab-a-boost-of-blue-and-walnuts-too/#article_one (“Grab a Boost of Blue and Walnuts, Too!”) That’s the focus of this week’s Marketing Boost, in which USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks shares an exciting new partnership with the https://ushbc.blueberry.org/you-are-leaving/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwalnuts.org%2Frecipes%2F%3Fcollection%5B%5D%3Dblueberry-recipe-collection (California Walnut Board) that comes just in time for Brain Health Month. Throughout the month of June, this strategic collaboration will involve 290 retail stores in 12 regions of the country. The program will include digital and in-store components showcasing easy, delicious ways to enjoy both blueberries and walnuts, and inspiring shoppers to purchase and eat more of this power combination. Reminder: Complete Our ‘Business of Blueberries’ Survey With 50 episodes of “The Business of Blueberries” now under our belts, we want to remind you to share your feedback with us. https://forms.gle/cZy39NMLqjRyEPgq5 (This brief survey) is your chance to share what you like about the podcast, what we could do better and what topics you’d like us to explore further. Plus, by completing https://forms.gle/cZy39NMLqjRyEPgq5 (the survey), you’ll be entered to win a “Business of Blueberries” YETI tumbler!

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After more than a year, the USHBC team was able to hit the road again, traveling to the Midwest for a series of meetings and events with members of the Michigan blueberry industry and grower community. On this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” we sit down with two leaders of the Michigan blueberry industry to revisit the trip, discuss some of the key takeaways, and explore the state’s unique blueberry culture. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Jill Scofield, USHBC and NABC director of communications and industry relations, are joined by Rex Schultz, grower and owner of Heritage Blueberries, member of the USHBC Innovation & Technology Committee and executive director of the Michigan Blueberry Advisory Committee; and Denny Vander Kooi, owner of Woodland Berries, chair of the Michigan Blueberry Commission and member of the NABC Trade Task Force. “What was really nice about the whole trip was the fact that we could get growers in front of you and give them a face to the name, and let them learn more about the USHBC and the role it plays in our lives.” - Rex Schultz “It’s very interesting being in a traditional blueberry growing area where a lot of people used to pick blueberries as kids. We’re servicing some fourth-generation and fifth-generation people now who started picking with their great-grandpa.” - Denny Vander Kooi Topics covered include: Key takeaways from meetings with Michigan blueberry growers. Understanding challenges and opportunities in Michigan. The state’s blueberry culture. Direct-to-consumer relationships and U-pick farms. The importance of industry and grower engagement in USHBC efforts.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Mario Ramírez in Mexico, Neil Moore in North Carolina, Eric Stafne in Mississippi, and Bill Steed in California. This was recorded on May 26, 2021. Marketing Boost In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses June’s Brain Health Month power period, during which USHBC will be highlighting recipes, resources, nutrition information and health research to shine a spotlight on blueberries as a delicious, simple and snackable option in a healthy diet. More information and resources you can share in your social channels are available in USHBC’s https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/grab-a-boost-of-blue/brain-health-month/ (Brain Health Month Toolkit). Complete Our 'Business of Blueberries' Survey As we approach the 50th episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” we hope you’ll take a few minutes to share your feedback with us. https://forms.gle/cZy39NMLqjRyEPgq5 (This brief survey) is your chance to share what you like about the podcast, what we could do better, and what topics you’d like us to explore further. Plus, by completing https://forms.gle/cZy39NMLqjRyEPgq5 (the survey), you’ll be entered to win a “Business of Blueberries” YETI tumbler!

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While 2020 was disruptive for the blueberry export industry, more markets are opening up across the globe, and the industry has only scratched the surface of global market potential. On this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” we sit down with an export expert to discuss what’s in store for 2021 blueberry export markets. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Alicia Adler, vice president of global business development for USHBC and NABC, are joined by Terry Fasel, director of international sales at Oregon Berry Packing Inc. “The consumer is going to tell us what we need to ship. Because it doesn’t matter what I grow, it matters what they want. And if we can provide that, they’re going to take it.” - Terry Fasel “The thing that’s hard to wrap my mind around is how many different [Chinese] markets you can play in. It’s almost infinite … we’re going to see a lot of fruit flowing into the China from the U.S.” - Terry Fasel Topics covered include: Assessing the uncertainty in the export market coming out of the pandemic. What consumers are looking for in blueberries, and opportunities to market health research internationally. Opportunities for the U.S. blueberry industry in the Chinese market. Emerging markets in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Mario Ramírez in Mexico, Neil Moore in North Carolina, Eric Stafne in Mississippi, Ken Patterson in Florida, Bill Steed in California and Derrin Wheeler in Georgia. This was recorded on May 19, 2021. Marketing Boost In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses National Blueberry Cheesecake Day, happening May 26. To celebrate, USHBC created a shareable social media image that’s https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/grab-a-boost-of-blue/turnkey-content/#social-media-content (available to download and share) on your social media channels.

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Ridley Bell, a familiar name to many in the blueberry industry, is a pioneering grower in Australia. Bell expanded commercial blueberry production in Australia several years ago, and his research helped develop blueberry genetics that are now used around the world. On this episode, we pick Bell’s brain about blueberries in Australia and the blueberry industry in general. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Ridley Bell, owner of Mountain Blue Orchards in New South Wales, Australia, and a blueberry genetics pioneer.

“Don’t ever get away from the humanness [of blueberries] … at the end of the day, it’s going to be the kids saying to mom. ‘Mom, have you got the pint of blueberries?’ That’s where the growth is going to be.” - Ridley Bell

“People are more and more aware these days of their health … [health] is the message that the [blueberry industry] should keep selling.” - Ridley Bell

Topics covered include: Bell’s background and the history of Mountain Blue Orchards. How Bell selected seedlings that were ideal for the Australian growing climate. Improving global blueberry genetics, and what consumers are looking for in blueberries. Where does the industry go from here?

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Mario Ramírez in Mexico, Bill Steed in California, and Eric Stafne in Mississippi. This was recorded on May 12, 2021.

Marketing Boost On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses how QR codes can help marketers quickly and easily share information with consumers across all marketing channels. Go to https://foodprofessionals.blueberry.org/for-retailers/turnkey-content/#qr-codes (USHBC.org/QRcodes) for more information.

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With the 2021 domestic blueberry crop projected to be one of the largest on record, it’s time for growers and marketers across the country to get creative in moving blueberries. On today’s episode, we chat with a blueberry marketer and a produce data expert to assess the 2021 blueberry crop and ways for the industry to manage the large load. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Brian Bocock, Michigan blueberry grower and vice president of sales at https://www.naturipefarms.com/ (Naturipe Farms), and Tom Barnes, chief executive officer of https://www.categorypartners.com/ (Category Partners). “Bottom line is we got a lot of fruit coming at us … this year could be the first time ever that both May and June put more fresh blueberries into the marketplace than the month of July, and that will be fascinating to watch.” - Brian Bocock

“Among the few categories that are still positive in the produce department … blueberries and strawberries. Both of those are still powerhouse … 2021 looks like this is ramping up already to be a great year for blueberries.” - Tom Barnes

Topics covered include: Progress made by the produce industry in collecting data. How the industry will manage the large 2021 blueberry crop. Performance of various categories at grocery stores and how blueberries are outperforming the overall produce trend. Why the 2021 crop is so exciting for marketers.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Mario Ramírez in Mexico, Bill Steed in California, Ken Patterson in Florida and Alex Cornelius in Georgia. This was recorded on May 5, 2021.

Marketing Boost Social media is a vital part of the blueberry marketing mix. On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses how social media can be used to drive interest in blueberries, and the tools USHBC provides for your social media channels. Check out USHBC’s Toolkits and Marketing Materials https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/ (here).

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Meeting with and interviewing stakeholders to take the pulse of an industry is critical to any business sector or organization. To achieve this for the blueberry industry, USBHC contracted with public relations veteran David Rockland. In this episode of the “Business of Blueberries” we have a conversation with Rockland about his communications philosophy, insights from the recent USBHC industry survey, and how companies can best transition to the next phase of their journeys. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by David Rockland, partner and CEO of Rockland Dutton Research & Consulting.

“The focus needs to be to build the industry. Supply has begun to outpace demand, we’ve got to get demand up. Demand goes up, [then] price goes up, people are in a better place. And that’s really got to be the focus.” - David Rockland

“You don’t always know that you've heard from everybody. You want make sure you do the best job you can, but you also want to put it on the people [to speak up] … whatever any of the people who listen to this podcast want to see out of USHBC — doing, funding, being for the next five years — right about now would be a good time to say something.” - David Rockland

Topics covered include: Rockland’s background and experience in the public relations sector. How the Barcelona Principles became the industry standard for communications. Results and observations from recent industry surveys conducted by USHBC. How USHBC and NABC can work in conjunction to achieve industry goals.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria Morales in Mexico, Bill Steed in California, Ken Patterson in Florida and Alex Cornelius in Georgia. This was recorded on April 28, 2021.

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While any blueberry grower knows orchards aren’t synonymous with blueberries, there are key similarities between fruit grown in orchards and highbush blueberries. With that in mind, the innovations happening in orchards can potentially have implications for blueberry cultivation. Today, we talk to two experts about the Pacific Northwest collaborative “Smart Orchard” project and how it can be applied to blueberry production. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Rod Cook, industry veteran and the chair of the Blueberry Technology and Innovation Committee, are joined by Steve Mantle, founder and CEO of innov8.ag, and Ines Hanrahan, Ph.D., executive director at the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission. “[Growers] need more data, we think, to help better inform how to really start producing at the most potential down the road.” - Steve Mantle

“This is the easiest way to improve your product and to establish yourself in the market … ultimately, the goal is to create and maintain sustainable businesses for our stakeholders. ” - Ines Hanrahan, Ph.D.

Topics covered include: Backgrounds of Mantle, Hanrahan, innov8.ag and the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission. How the Smart Orchard project came together in conjunction with the commission. Types of data being collected and how it’s being applied in the field. Creating a dashboard and sharing data that fosters a collaborative industry environment.

Read more about the Smart Orchard project https://www.innov8.ag/smartorchard (here).

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria Morales in Mexico, Bill Steed in California, and Ken Patterson in Florida. This was recorded on April 21, 2021.

Marketing Boost Creative promotion is what turns blueberry awareness into a blueberry purchase and eventually a blueberry passion, which turns consumers into blueberry enthusiasts. On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC vice president of marketing and communications Jennifer Sparks discusses how blueberry-specific days can help create enthusiasts.

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Jill Scofield recently joined the NABC and USHBC as the director of communications and industry relations. In this newly created role, Jill is responsible for planning, directing and overseeing USHBC and NABC industry communications programs involving growers, marketers, exporters, importers, distributors and other stakeholders. In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” we sit down with Jill to chat about all things industry relations. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Jill Scofield, director of communications and industry relations for USHBC and NABC. “I’m really excited to not just bring my experience to the table, but that passion for working on the behalf of agriculture. Again, [blueberries] may be a different commodity, but men and women are still working really hard to produce a really nutritious product and one I wholeheartedly believe in. ” - Jill Scofield “Having that opportunity to both represent the industry in that consumer-facing message and continuing to boost and grow that consumer demand for a product that just continues to increase in quality and consistency.” - Jill Scofield

Topics covered include: Jill’s experience in the beef industry and how it relates to blueberries. Engaging both the USHBC and NABC sides of blueberries. Historical context of the industry relations aspect of USHBC. Moving forward with a hybrid of in-person and digital communication methods.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria Morales in Mexico, Bill Steed in California, and Ken Patterson in Florida. This was recorded on April 14, 2021.

Marketing Boost USHBC’s new strategic positioning and call-to-action, Grab a Boost of Blue, taps into consumers’ passion for blueberries and motivates them to enjoy more of the fruit they love. On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses one of the consumer touch points for the 2021 Grab a Boost of Blue campaign: YouTube advertisements. To watch the new Grab a Boost of Blue YouTube advertisements, visit http://ushbc.org/BoostAds (ushbc.org/BoostAds).

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With the ever-expanding global reach of blueberries, more companies are using the fruit to experiment with new and innovative products that highlight the best qualities of blueberries. On this episode of the “Business of Blueberries,” we discuss the market possibilities for blueberries in global consumer packaged goods. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Alicia Adler, vice president of global business development for USHBC and NABC, are joined by Lynn Dornblaser, director of innovation & insight at Mintel and Chef Dina Paz, culinary director at Sterling-Rice Group (SRG). “What’s important is to look and see what challenger brands are doing – those are the little companies. Quite often, they come into existence because someone is passionate about an idea and they decide they gotta [make a product]. Look to see what’s going on with the small companies that are doing some experimenting, look to see what’s happening [across the food landscape], especially on social media, and especially with younger consumers.” - Lynn Dornblaser

“Blueberries already come with this really nutrient-dense, health halo story around it. The good thing about that is we want to see that across so many different products and categories in the CPG space … [blueberries'] functionality can be anything from very health forward … to really indulgent… you can play with it in just about any category. ” - Chef Dina Paz

Topics covered include: How innovations and trends get shared across the consumer packaged goods industry. Trends gaining traction and how they can be applied to blueberries. The versatility of blueberries and how they straddle both healthy and indulgent food trends. Trends vs. fads and how to tell the difference between the two.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru, Bill Steed in California, and Ken Patterson in Florida. This was recorded on April 7, 2021.

Marketing Boost Providing professional and attention-grabbing marketing resources for the blueberry industry is one of the main functions of USHBC. On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses the latest call to action: Brain Health Month. View the toolkit https://ushbc.blueberry.org/all-resources/toolkits-and-marketing-materials/grab-a-boost-of-blue/brain-health-month/ (here).

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On today’s episode of the Business of Blueberries, we discuss the 2021 California Blueberry harvest and how the Blueberry Marketing Resource Information Center (B-MRIC) has changed crop reporting for California growers. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Todd Sanders, the executive director of the California Blueberry Commission and Bill Steed, a grower and packer in San Diego County for Fairfield Farms. “[A grower] looked at the data that was coming down the [B-MRIC] pipeline and they looked at the three-year average that we put out in the B-MRIC report. And they said, ‘I think the volume is going to be peaking in a couple of weeks. I want to get ahead of that.’ [The grower] harvested, they got their crew out of there, and they were done. They weren't going to wait” - Todd Sanders

“Well, the downside is if we do nothing, is we get to see the same thing happen, and the status quo in our industry right now is not acceptable.” - Bill Steed

Check out the B-MRIC report from the 2019-2020 California Blueberry Commission annual report http://www.calblueberry.org/uploads/1/2/5/0/125053236/cbc_2019-2020_ar_final.pdf (here). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-MAiKsOWoM (Watch the full roundtable discussion) on data with Kasey Cronquist along with Emiliano Escobedo of the Hass Avocado Board and Manuel Michel of the National Mango board.

Topics covered include: Background of Sanders and Steed Preview of the California growing season Comprehensive overview of the B-MRIC reporting system Implementing a crop reporting system nationally

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peruo and Ken Patterson in Florida. This was recorded on March 31, 2021

Marketing Boost Social media and influencer marketing is an important part of driving blueberry demand in USHBC’s new Grab a Boost of Blue positioning and consumer call to action. This week’s Marketing Boost details how “blueberry cookie” recipe went viral. You can watch the video on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@justine_snacks/video/6943332079149010181 (here)

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At last week’s NABC/USHBC Spring Conference & Meetings, one of the many highlights was a “fireside chat” with Cindy Jewell, president of Jewell Marketing and Jeff Cady, director of produce and floral at Tops Market in Buffalo, New York. Together they discuss retail challenges and opportunities post COVID-19. In this week’s episode, we’ll replay some of this enlightening conversation, including strategy and promotional initiatives including using the “Boost of Blue” campaign “I think people, those who didn't know, figured out that berries are good for you and they have antioxidants and they're part of the solution for immunity and those types of things... It brought a lot of people in and they started buying it and they became loyal weekly shoppers of that item.” - Jeff Cady “We're fortunate enough to be selling a product that is very, very good for you and has so many positive things associated with it. It's a win. I think people are going to continue to move in that direction.” - Jeff Cady

Last week was the NABC USHBC Spring Conference! Be sure to visit the https://www.blueberryevents.org/spring21/sign-in?rId=1066556 (website) to access all meetings and proceedings covered at this year's virtual conference if you missed it.

Topics covered include: The perspective of the produce department on the impact of COVID-19 How the trends of 2020 are expected to fair in 2021 as consumers overcome the global pandemic Explore the promotions used and working for grocers to encourage buying of blueberries

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This report was recorded on March 24, 2021. Marketing Boost Our newly-redesigned website offers research, tools, and materials for everyone in the blueberry industry. Visit http://www.ushbc.org (www.USHBC.org) to check it out today, and pick up your Grab a Boost of Blue toolkit while you’re there.

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The impacts of COVID-19 were felt in nearly every industry, but few more acutely and suddenly than the restaurant industry. Across the world, foodservice had to quickly adapt to a world that was ordering take-out food as restaurants sat empty. But with every crisis comes an opportunity to adapt and innovate, which is where the “Restaurant of the Future” comes in. On today’s episode, we have a wide-ranging conversation about the state of the foodservice industry and what comes next as the world emerges from a pandemic. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Jeremy Kay, head of design at USHBC foodservice agency partner Sterling-Rice Group (SRG), and Tamra Scroggins, executive chef & director of culinary at Grill Concepts.

“We really had to take a step back to move forward . … I firmly believe that we are in this era now of rapid change and we will see things coming out of this pandemic that will change the way we service restaurants and how we engage in this space forever.” - Jeremy Kay

“[Blueberries] fit so well in so many things — you can put them in a savory dish, you can put them in a sweet dish, you can do both a sweet and savory dish. I think they’re pretty versatile and they’re just got an awesome color. I don’t think it’s a trend — I think people will shift toward eating healthier, being healthier and eating things that are healthy for them.” - Tamra Scroggins

Watch the Restaurant of the Future video https://youtu.be/pprBDbG7V5k (here).

Topics covered include: What to expect from restaurants as we come out of the pandemic. How restaurants changed their business models. Engaging civic leaders on keeping outdoor dining environments. How the pandemic inspired health-conscious restaurant menus and how blueberries are used on these menus. SRG and USHBC’s “Restaurant of the Future.”

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria Morales in Mexico and Andres Armstrong in Chile. This was recorded on March 17, 2021.

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After rethinking the mechanical harvester, FineField created a tool it deemed “The Harvy.” As opposed to mechanical over-the-row (OTR) harvesting machines, The Harvy has low investment costs and provides higher quality berries. In this episode, we talk to two industry members who were involved with the development of the Harvy and discuss how FineField came up with its innovative mechanical harvesting solution. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Rod Cook, industry veteran and the chair of the Blueberry Technology and Innovation Committee, are joined by Marcel Beelen, director of FineField in the Netherlands, and Dean Maerz of Klaassen Farms in Abbotsford, B.C. “It was obvious [the industry] needed a product that could increase productivity, but could solve the main problem of mechanical harvesters — which is quality and loss of product. With that in mind, we said ‘OK, we need to have a guiding design principle … no bruising no losing’” - Marcel Beelen “Nobody had really rethought [mechanical harvesting] from the ground up. And that’s what I was looking for; I was looking for a different approach, something groundbreaking. Eventually, I narrowed my search down to three companies — all three were in Europe — but the innovation at FineField stood out above the crowd to me. ” - Dean Maerz

Topics covered include: Maerz and Beelen’s backgrounds. How FineField was founded. The design principles of FineField’s mechanical harvester. The importance of industry feedback when developing machinery for the blueberry industry.

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With over 25 years of experience in grower relations, marketing, growing and business development for the blueberry industry, Bo Slack is a natural choice to be the chair of the Industry Relations Committee for USHBC. On this week’s episode, host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Slack for a comprehensive update on USHBC’s industry relations efforts. “The USHBC and the NABC have been critical for our organization and myself to grow and really stay in touch with the grower community and the blueberry industry.” - Bo Slack

“Aligning our strategic goals is so crucial to how we invest for the future and how we grow the blueberry category.” - Bo Slack

Topics covered include: Overview of the USHBC Industry Relations Committee and its current goals. Navigating industry outreach during the pandemic. Takeaways from the recent USHBC Industry Relations survey. Facilitating the USHBC elections process.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria Morales in Mexico, Luis Vegas in Peru and Andres Armstrong in Chile. This was recorded on March 3, 2021.

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On a bonus episode of the “Business of Blueberries” podcast, host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Guy Cotton to discuss how O.G. Packing was able to vaccinate 150 of its employees. “There were so many people that were so elated to have the vaccine. There were so many thank you’s, so much relief that they were finally able to get the vaccine. It was very uplifting.” - Guy Cotton

Topics covered include: Cotton’s background in the blueberry industry. How Cotton secured the vaccinations for workers. Making the vaccination voluntary rather than mandatory. Advice and logistics in implementing a vaccination plan in your workplace.

Additional COVID-19 vaccine resources: uschamber.com/covid-19-vaccines-digital-resources-center

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With the domestic blueberry season on the horizon, Florida will be the first state to enter production. Florida is not only a vital state for blueberry production, it has also been a hotbed for industry-changing blueberry genetics research. On this week’s episode, we talk about all things Florida blueberries. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined Brittany Lee, executive director at Florida Blueberry Growers. “In my lifetime, the Florida blueberry industry went from a very small, niche boutique industry to the cornerstone of domestic production. We were the first state to produce blueberries and that’s in large part due to the University of Florida’s UF/IFAS breeding program.” - Brittany Lee

“We’re an important part of Florida agriculture and an important part of the blueberry industry nationwide, and that’s not going to change. Growers in Florida are passionate about what we do and we’re passionate in making sure that our consumers have our product in their stores.” - Brittany Lee

Topics covered include: Lee’s experience and history in the Florida blueberry industry. Florida’s legacy in blueberry breeding. A preview of the 2021 domestic crop. COVID-19 impacts on Florida growers.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria Morales in Mexico, Luis Vegas in Peru, and Andres Armstrong in Chile. This was recorded on Feb. 24, 2021.

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Heart health is integral to the blueberry marketing message. With Heart Health Month in full swing, we bring on two guests — one health researcher and one marketer — to tell the story of the heart-healthy properties of blueberries. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Brian Klumpp, director of marketing and strategic development at North Bay Produce, and Leslie Wada, Ph.D.,health research administrator for USHBC.

“Let’s not forget the basic nutritional benefits of blueberries, such as being a good source of dietary fiber, they’re low in sodium, essentially fat free, they’re a source of vitamins and minerals … and a cup only has about 85 calories. It’s qualities like these that help blueberries earn the ‘heart’ checkmark from the American Heart Association.” - Leslie Wada, Ph.D.

“It’s easy to feel like you’re preaching to the choir - that we all know this stuff - but the fact is … it’s one thing to have the healthy crowd know it, but there’s the up-and-coming shoppers that are new to [healthy shopping]. And there’s also the crowd that we want to expand this marketplace to … those looking to change their lifestyle.” - Brian Klumpp

Topics covered include: The function of the USHBC Health & Research Committee. Cardiovascular studies conducted by USHBC. The inherent nutritional value of blueberries. Using the American Heart Association seal in packaging.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru, Andres Armstrong in Chile, and Juan Soria Morales in Mexico. This was recorded on Feb. 17, 2021.

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Thanks in part to deregulation, the South Korean blueberry export market has exploded in recent years, becoming a top market for both frozen and fresh blueberries from the United States. While the fresh market is still limited to blueberries from Oregon, frozen blueberries can be shipped from any state. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Alicia Adler, vice president of USHBC and NABC, are joined by Tyler Norris, industrial salesman at Columbia Fruit, and Jeff Peterson, grower relations manager at Columbia Fruit. Peterson and Norris join the show to talk about the emerging South Korean export market.

“[South Korea] is forward-thinking. [The blueberry market] started off relatively small, you give them a quality product year after year, it works well for everyone.” - Tyler Norris

“South Korea has emerged as the top export market in Asia for fresh blueberries as well as frozen, overtaking Japan, which has been a longer export market for blueberries.” - Alicia Adler

Topics covered include: The South Korean market as compared to other export markets. The largest driver of growth in South Korea. Retail preferences in South Korea. Requirements for importing frozen berries into South Korea. “Blueberries from America” certification.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria Morales in Mexico, Luis Vegas in Peru, and Isabel Urrutia in Chile. This was recorded on Feb. 10, 2021

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When the pandemic hit the United States, sales of frozen blueberries sky rocketed. Everywhere, families and health conscious consumers were looking for ways to maintain nutrition while extending the shelf life of their favorite foods. Frozen blueberries helped consumers thread that needle. In this episode, we talk with one of the foremost purveyors of frozen blueberries in Canada and how the frozen blueberry market is rapidly changing. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Steve Phillips, vice president of operations at Berryhill Foods. Cronquist and Phillips discuss the opportunities and challenges with the frozen blueberry market and the healthy relationship between Canada and the United States. “When people start talking about frozen [blueberries], my ears perk up. I feel that’s where some growth needs to happen in this industry. The volume that sits around is in the frozen. That’s got to be looked at. Where can we promote this?” - Steve Phillips “I think that frozen needs to be talked about more to the consumers, and it’s a tricky one, because [frozen foods are] located in ice cream row most of the time. And when you talk about blueberries and the health halo that surrounds it, for people that are health conscious, that’s the row that they don’t want to go down. ” - Steve Phillips Topics covered include: Overview and history of Berryhill Foods as a company How the pandemic changed the frozen market Opportunities and challenges in the frozen blueberry market The positive relationship between the U.S. and Canadian blueberry industries

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria Morales in Mexico, Isabel Urrutia in Chile, and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on Feb. 3, 2021.

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USHBC’s new strategic positioning and call-to-action, Grab a Boost of Blue, is focused on driving blueberry demand and increasing sales. Coupled with smart promotions throughout the year and designed to tap into consumers’ passion for blueberries, this message seeks to inspire and motivate them to enjoy more of the fruit they love, in more ways and more often. In this episode, we sit down with two blueberry marketing experts to talk through what Grab a Boost of Blue brings to the table. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Cindy Jewell, president of Jewell Marketing, and Jeff Malensky, president of Oregon Berry Packing and chair of the USHBC Promotions Committee. Malensky and Jewel join Cronquist for a discussion about all things related to Grab a Boost of Blue. To access Grab a Boost of Blue assets and more, and to see what else is coming, visit our https://ushbc.org/resources/boost-of-blue/#social_media_content (Grab of Boost of Blue Industry Resources page). “I think what I’m excited about is the doors that [Grab a Boost of Blue] is going to open up for the industry … we have so many folks that are committed to moving the needle forward more, but we haven’t done it as a set effort.” - Jeff Malensky “The interesting thing about [Grab a Boost of Blue] is it’s a conversation that everyone can have together … it’s an overlying message that everyone can benefit from.” - Cindy Jewell

Topics covered include: How Grab a Boost of Blue originated. The ways Grab a Boost of Blue benefits each industry segment. Importance of collaboration within the blueberry industry. A preview of what’s ahead for Grab a Boost of Blue.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria Morales in Mexico, Andres Armstrong in Chile, and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on Jan. 27, 2021.

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The Vaccinium Coordinated Agricultural Project (VacCAP) is a massive undertaking to identify the ideal blueberry in terms of consumer preferences, shelf life and mechanical harvestability. With over $25 million invested from federal funds, participating institutions and its stakeholders, VacCAP has massive positive implications for the future of blueberry breeding. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Rod Cook, industry veteran and the chair of the Blueberry Technology and Innovation Committee, are joined by Massimo Iorizzo, Ph.D., associate professor in the North Carolina State University Department of Horticultural Science; Jim Hancock, Ph.D., professor emeritus at Michigan State University and recent recipient of the NABC Duke Galletta Award; and Patricio Munoz, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Horticultural Sciences Department in the University of Florida. Register for the Town Hall: https://mailchi.mp/ushbc.org/townhall (https://mailchi.mp/ushbc.org/townhall) Visit the VacCap website at : https://www.vacciniumcap.org/ (vacciniumcap.org/). “At the end of this project, we’ll have an accurate concept of what consumers really like in a blueberry and we will have developed tools to accurately assess that fruit quality. ” - Jim Hancock, Ph.D. “We want to understand the relation between the quality and the willingness to buy … the question is, does quality play a role in a consumer paying more for certain blueberry types?” - Massimo Iorizzo, Ph.D. “Imagine that you have a new disease … we cannot take 10 or 15 years to develop a new variety, to develop something resistant to the disease. Our growers need a faster response from the breeders. For this project, we hope to develop the resources and the tools to actually make that happen, to be able to react faster than we have been doing it. ” - Patricio Munoz, Ph.D. Topics covered include: Overview of the VacCAP Specialty Crop Research Initiative. What VacCAP hopes to accomplish for blueberry breeding. Current status of the initiative. How researchers are creating the genome of the ideal blueberry.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria Morales in Mexico, Andres Armstrong in Chile, and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on Jan. 20, 2021.

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India, the second largest country in the world by population, is a vital market for the blueberry industry. For 2021, the USHBC Export Committee increased funding for market development in India, with an emphasis on the food manufacturing and retail sectors where demand for dried and processed blueberries is rising. In this episode, we talk with two of USHBC’s India experts to understand the market conditions.

Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Alicia Adler, vice president of USHBC and NABC, are joined by Raj Kapoor, managing director of Assocom-India Pvt. and USHBC’s in-country representative in India, and Don Van De Werken, owner of J&D Farms and USHBC Export Committee member. Cronquist and Adler sit down with Kapoor and Van De Wekren to discuss the emerging Indian market.

“You don’t have to conquer all of India, you can just conquer one corner of it and you will have more business than you know what to do with.” - Don Van De Werken

“Thinking about Indian culture … if you go to Dubai, it’s a small Emirates city, maybe 800,000 native or Emirates people. But there are 3,000,000 Indians that live there. The translation of what you’re doing in India can translate to the Middle East as well.” - Don Van De Werken

Topics covered include: Overview for the blueberry industry in India. Popularity of blueberries in India compared to other fruits. What Indian food manufacturers need and want from blueberry products. Perception of blueberries as a health product among Indian consumers.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria Morales in Mexico, Andres Armstrong in Chile, and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on January 13th, 2021.

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Over 40 years ago in Lowell, Oregon, Dave Brazleton started https://www.fallcreeknursery.com/ (Fall Creek Farm & Nursery). Since then, Fall Creek has become one of the premier blueberry breeding companies in North America and the last name “Brazelton'' is now known across the industry. In this episode, we’re joined by Dave’s son, Cort Brazleton, who is now making his own mark on the blueberry industry as the co-CEO of the nursery. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC), is joined by Cort Brazelton, co-CEO of Fall Creek Farm & Nursery. Cronquist sits down with Brazelton to discuss the current global blueberry market dynamics and the latest trends in blueberry genetics.

“One of our big goals as a company is to continue to keep the vast majority of our focus on serving the broad industry and ensuring that growers have access to competitive genetics.” - Cort Brazelton

“[Highbush blueberries] stayed in that supply-building opportunity phase longer and it allowed us to keep doing a lot of the same things [we were doing at the beginning] without the pressure to innovate. Now we’re entering a phase where we have enough product at all times of the year and the market is starting to get more selective.” - Cort Brazelton

Topics covered include: Brazelton’s role at Fall Creek Farm & Nursery and the history of the company. The future of blueberry breeding and genetics, and the produce industry at large. Reducing risk on the breeding side of blueberries. Reflecting on Fall Creek’s role in the evolution of the blueberry industry.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru and Juan Soria Morales in Mexico. This was recorded on Jan. 6, 2021.

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To put a punctuation mark on 2020, here are a few of the highlights from The Business of Blueberries so far. We like to think of all of our episodes as must-listens, but here are a few you might want to go back and absorb again and again. It was hard to narrow down this list to only seven, but here they are. Grab a boost of blue and enjoy the highlights from these seven episodes. Tim Hammerich is normally the producer behind the scenes of The Business of Blueberries podcast. This week, he steps in to guest host the episode that shares some highlights from 2020 episodes.

“As it became clear that in-person interactions were out of the question, I helped Kasey launch this podcast as a way to keep the lines of communication open. I don’t think we could ever have predicted the level of positive response we would receive from this show.” - Tim Hammerich

Topics covered include: Health research with Dave Brazelton (https://player.captivate.fm/episode/a306dddd-5ba2-4380-8b7c-9a48504e1efe (episode 12)) Inspiring possibilities and driving blueberries forward with Soren Bjorn (https://player.captivate.fm/episode/57cc3fe8-7316-4c3a-adb0-ded6b636f9a4 (episodes three) & https://player.captivate.fm/episode/92140c23-bedb-4b19-a7e9-2d278a2e49d0 (four)) Innovations in the southern highbush blueberry varieties with Paul Lyrene, Ph.D. (https://player.captivate.fm/episode/eb7ddf9b-1ccd-45be-8337-0c032a2bc032 (episode 26)) Mechanical harvesting with Noel Sakuma (https://player.captivate.fm/episode/aebeb837-1f93-40d5-92ec-f516ae1393fd (episode seven)) Data-driven decision-making with Brian Bocock (https://player.captivate.fm/episode/cdc4007c-66d0-4299-93fe-f37b2a9807c5 (episode two)) Optical sorting with Ellie Norris (https://player.captivate.fm/episode/9a453c60-ae46-4fbf-a004-18fbc677b0e2 (episode 19)) Delighting customers with Tom Avinelis (https://player.captivate.fm/episode/2b020a6c-d122-48e5-8309-e152bbba865d (episode nine))

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report will return in early January.

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Innovations in blueberry growing can come from anywhere, including other agriculture commodities. Being able to take lessons from other farming disciplines is essential when researching and adopting new technologies for blueberries. In today’s episode, we sit down with two grape industry veterans for a conversation about how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used in the blueberry industry. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Rod Cook, industry veteran and chair of the Blueberry Technology and Innovation Committee, are joined by Mark DeSantis, CEO of Bloomfield Robotics, and Dennis Rak of Double A Vineyards and acting board chair of Welch’s. “How do we strip [artificial intelligence] down to the bare essentials to make it so ridiculously affordable, so that the cost of this is inconsequential?” - Mark DeSantis

“The guys at Bloomfield made it pretty easy for me to use the data generated. Basically, they set up what they call a ‘dashboard,’ which allows me to go row by row and look at every plant in that row. They have the ability to count the plants in that row and to give me a percentage of how many of those plants are growing … it has been really easy to use that information.” - Dennis Rak

Topics covered include: Key features of the Bloomfield Robotics autonomous vehicles and products. How Rak is using Bloomfield Robotics at his operation. Setting expectations for growers adopting AI solutions. Adapting AI technology crops other than grapes.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report will return in early January.

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Paul Lyrene, Ph.D., has dedicated his career to the development of early-ripening, high-quality blueberry cultivars that are productive in Florida’s humid, subtropical climate. Due to his efforts, the Florida blueberry industry has grown and flourished, and opened the door to blueberry production in other warm climates across the country and the world. On this week’s podcast, host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Paul Lyrene, Ph.D., a world-renowned plant breeder, former University of Florida horticulture professor and member of the https://floridaaghalloffame.org/2011/11/dr-paul-lyrene/ (Florida Ag Hall of Fame). “Blueberries are a plant in which the varieties are clones. That is, if you find one good plant, you chop it into one hundred million pieces and each one becomes a plant identical to the original plant.” - Paul Lyrene, Ph.D. “The flavor of a blueberry depends on both the variety and where it’s grown and how it’s grown. There are probably 1,000 different chemicals in a blueberry that are natural compounds that all have some influence on the flavor. ” - Paul Lyrene, Ph.D.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru and Juan Soria Morales in Mexico. This was recorded on Dec. 16, 2020.

Marketing Boost - Passion In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses how to instill passion in your customer base and previews the upcoming USHBC “Grab a Boost of Blue” campaign.

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Using substrates to grow blueberries can be a time-intensive process for growers. However, if done right, substrates can create higher yields and a higher return on investment, while using less water. Substrates are a possible solution to grow more blueberries with fewer inputs. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Rod Cook, industry veteran and the chair of the Blueberry Technology and Innovation Committee, are joined by Pablo Segovia of Legro Grou in The Netherlands, and Jordan Pratt, farm director for Kauai Organic Farms, to talk about the world of substrates and their uses in blueberry farming. “We used to say we were getting three times the amount of growth [using substrates] in one season as compared to our soil planting … it was definitely worth the effort … .” - Jordan Pratt “It’s really all about collecting the right ingredients and the right material.” - Pablo Segovia Topics covered include: How Pratt started using substrates in California’s Central Valley. The scientific and technical makeup of Legro Grou’s substrate material. Pros and cons of using substrates. Building a system to accommodate substrates. The role substrates will play in the future of blueberry growing.

For more information about Legro Grou, please visit their website at https://www.legro.nl/en/ (https://www.legro.nl/en/). Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Andres Armstrong in Chile. This was recorded on Dec. 9, 2020. Marketing Boost - Thought Leadership Thought leadership is a great way to connect with customers through brand communications. In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses the importance of thought leadership and how USHBC used this tactic at last week’s Flavor Experience virtual conference.

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There’s no question that when consumers wanted to fill their freezers during the pandemic, many of them bought frozen blueberries. While this was great to see, we had to wonder: What does it mean for frozen blueberry markets and supply chains going forward? In today’s episode, host Kasey Cronquist, USHBC/NABC president, sits down with John Shelford, a consultant to the industry and strategic adviser to Naturipe Value Added Foods, and Kimberlee Chambers, director of business development and sustainability at RainSweet. “We’ve had an 8% annual growth rate on average for the frozen pack.” - John Shelford

“We can’t do what we did five years ago … we have to always be innovating and looking forward, and be willing to work together to offer new products to new markets.” - Kimberlee Chambers

Topics covered include: Background on the frozen blueberry industry. The importance of food safety in frozen blueberries. How the events of 2020 have impacted consumer demand for frozen blueberries. Trends in cold storage and how it affects frozen blueberry markets.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Andres Armstrong in Chile, and Juan Soria Morales in Mexico. This was recorded on Dec. 2, 2020.

Marketing Boost - Blueberries for the Holidays Holiday festivities will look different this year, but people will still be seeking fun and interesting ways to create a warm, cozy, connected feel to the holiday season. In this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses how to get blueberries onto consumers’ holiday shopping lists!

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In October, Adam Winland was hired as the financial controller for NABC and USHBC, a newly created position that oversees the councils’ day-to-day accounting and provides strategic financial direction. One of Winland’s first key tasks is to conduct the annual assessment for blueberry growers. In today’s episode, host Kasey Cronquist, USHBC/NABC president, sits down with Winland for a chat about his new role, what to expect out of the upcoming assessment and how the assessment showcases the return on investment for blueberry growers.

“We are perfecting this process and looking toward the future, we want to make sure that [the process] is as fine tuned as possible.” - Adam Winland

“Part of what I want to do as financial controller is be as transparent as possible with everyone involved so they know where the money is going.” - Adam Winland

Topics covered include: Winland’s background that led him to USHBC. Changes in the USHBC assessment process. The most common questions Windland receives. Transparency in the assessment process.

Crop Report The Blueberry Crop Report will return next week.

Marketing Boost - Highlighting Blueberry Health Benefits In the midst of a pandemic, health and wellness has an added focus and priority. In this week’s marketing boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses how highlighting the positive health effects of blueberries is a great way to advertise to your customers.

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Chile has become one of the most important countries in the world when it comes to research and development into blueberry growing, harvesting and technology. With over 38,500 acres planted with highbush blueberries, Chile is one of the largest global exporters of the fruit. At the forefront of the Chilean blueberry industry is Andres Armstrong, executive director of the Chilean Blueberry Committee. In today’s episode, host Kasey Cronquist, USHBC/NABC president, sits down with Armstrong for a chat about all things Chilean blueberries. “When we started the committee … we wanted to look for new markets. We didn’t want to have our fruit to be concentrated in one market. ” - Andres Armstrong

“If you want to develop new markets, if you want to be competitive in the market situation today, you need to provide good quality fruit. And that begins with the variety and … post-harvest technologies that allow us to get [the fruit] to the market in good quality.” - Andres Armstrong

Topics covered include: How Armstrong got started in the blueberry industry. Domestic growth of blueberry sales in Chile. The history of importing Chilean berries into the United States. Challenges of importing to Asia and European countries from Chile. Importance of varieties when importing blueberries. Collaborating between countries and committees.

Crop Report - November 18, 2020 The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. In this episode, you’ll hear from featured guest Andres Armstrong in Chile as well as Juan Soria Morales in Mexico. This was recorded on November 18, 2020.

Marketing Boost - Blueberries featured on Today.com! Widely read consumer news site Today.com, with an audience of over 27 million, featured frozen blueberries as a versatile ingredient to kick cooking fatigue for home chefs everywhere. In this week’s marketing boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks breaks down the power of earned media.

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There’s been a lot in the news lately, and the biggest news for the blueberry industry came last week when blueberries made the leap from the kitchen to the keyboard. This is one more example of how our promotions program is elevating blueberries into the mainstream consciousness of the consumer. Find out what else is happening in blueberry promotions in today’s episode. Host Kasey Cronquist, USHBC/NABC president, chats with Oregon Berry Packing President and USHBC Promotions Committee Chair Jeff Malensky about the committee’s efforts to promote blueberries. “In this committee, we have a good semblance of what this industry is about from all walks of life. We all keep in perspective the growers (needs) in mind.” - Jeff Malensky

“You name me (another) fruit that has the combination of fresh, frozen, dried or freeze dried. I can’t name one that I’m going to eat in (all) those different formats … and blueberries, we may not be at the top of somebody’s mind in all of those formats, but we’re darn near close to the top in all of them.” - Jeff Malensky

Topics covered include: An introduction to Jeff Malensky, newly appointed chair of the USHBC Promotions Committee. Malensky’s vision for the future of blueberry promotions. What we can all do individually and collectively to promote blueberries more effectively. The importance of bringing diverse perspectives to USHBC promotions. The Grab a Boost of Blue campaign.

Crop Report - November 11, 2020 The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Andres Armstrong in Chile and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on November 11, 2020.

Marketing Boost - Blueberry Emoji! Big news for the blueberry industry and the many fans of blueberries! On November 5, the new blueberry emoji hit mobile keyboards. We’ve made it easy to spread the word with a free blueberry emoji toolkit. Get yours today: http://www.ushbc.org/emoji (www.USHBC.org/emoji).

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While 2020 has been volatile, an industry highlight was coming together for the NABC/USHBC Virtual Conference & Expo. Attendees from across the industry and around the globe watched keynotes and presentations from every segment of the blueberry world, including health experts, genetic scientists, retail gurus and lifelong industry members. In this week’s episode, host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), walks you through the top 10 moments from this year’s virtual conference. You’ll hear from: Harry Kaiser, Ph.D., of Cornell University Michael Hyatt, CEO of Michael Hyatt & Company and author of The Vision-Driven Leader Michael Dosset, Ph.D., research scientist with BC Berry Cultivar Development Vonnie Estes, Produce Marketing Association vice president of technology And many more!

Marketing Boost Also included in this week’s episode is the new Marketing Boost segment from Jennifer Sparks, USHBC and NABC vice president of marketing and communications. In this week’s Boost, Sparks talks about the sensory descriptions of blueberries and how they relate to marketing. Crop Report - November 4, 2020 The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Andres Armstrong in Chile and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on November 4, 2020.

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In recent years, advancements in optical sorting technology have been rapid. This is a result of companies like MAF-Roda Optical Sorting taking feedback from their customers and implementing changes to their optical sorters quickly. In the latest episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” we have a conversation with a manufacturer and a customer of optical sorters and discuss the benefits they bring to blueberry harvesting operations. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Rod Cook, industry veteran and the chair of the Blueberry Technology and Innovation Committee, are joined by Ellie Norris of Norris Blueberry Farms and Bryan Brown off MAF-Roda Optical Sorting.

“In a broad sense, a sorting machine allows us to sort imperfect blueberries from blueberries that are up to the standard we want.” - Ellie Norris

“We’re looking at each piece of produce and determining the quality of it individually … When you look at the quality difference of what is the old technology and what is coming out now in the last three years, it’s a completely different deal.” - Bryan Brown

Topics covered include: Norris and Brown’s background in the blueberry industry. Broad functions of optical sorters. Rapid improvement of optical sorting technology in recent years. How MAF custom makes each sorter to fit the needs of the operation. Detecting internal bruising. Labor savings from using optical sorters.

Marketing Boost Also included in this week’s episode is the new Marketing Boost segment from Jeni Sparks, USHBC and NABC vice president of marketing & communications. In this week’s Boost, Sparks touches on the importance of authenticity.

Crop Report - October 28, 2020 The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Jose Luis Bustamante in Mexico and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on October 27, 2020.

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As the blueberry industry can attest, health research has been vital to the growth of the global blueberry market. While we’ve touched on blueberry health research in past episodes, it’s time to do a deep dive to better understand the current and potential health research that has been so critical to increased demand for blueberries.. Host Kasey Cronquist, USHBC and NABC president, is joined by Eric Rimm, Sc.D., professor of epidemiology and nutrition, director of the program in cardiovascular epidemiology at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Rimm also sits on the USHBC Health Research Committee science advisory board.

“This study would not have been possible, not just for the packets, but this was actually funded by the USHBC.” - Eric Rimm, Sc.D.

“Blueberries can actually be there for swapping something out of breakfast, it can be a side for a lunch or a dinner, and it could be a replacement for dessert. Where you still get all of the satisfaction of (taking) out something, but you still get to put blueberries in.” - Eric Rimm, Sc.D.

Topics covered include: Results and methods of the latest clinical trial with blueberries. Difficulties of a large-scale study. The concept of healthy swaps. The difference between “fad” diets and the research USHBC funds. The next frontier for blueberry health research.

Crop Report - October 21, 2020 The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Andres Armstrong in Chile, Luis Vegas in Peru, and Jose Luis Bustamante in Mexico. This was recorded October 2020.

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Newly installed as the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Jenni Sparks had an ideal introduction to the wide ranging world of the blueberry industry: attending last week’s Virtual Conference & Expo. In this episode, we get her initial impressions of the blueberry industry and reflect on the many presentations and keynotes given at last week’s conference.

Host Kasey Cronquist, president of USHBC and NABC, is joined by Jenni Sparks, VP of Marketing & Communications for USHBC.

“What stood out, number one, were the people...people who are extremely smart and truly believe in their product and are very excited about bringing those benefits to the consumer.” - Jenni Sparks

“There was a lot of discussion about creating habits, so it’s not just a one-time purchase. It’s how do we get them coming back and wanting more and finding new and different ways to find [blueberries]?” - Jenni Sparks

This episode features a conversation with Sparks. Topics include: Jenni’s background in the floral industry Initial impressions of the virtual conference Importance of adapting your product to consumer needs Making research digestible for the consumer Driving “Boost of Blue” What “inspiring possibilities” means for the industry

Crop Report - October 7, 2020 The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Jason Smith in British Columbia, Doug Krahmer in Oregon and Luis Vegas with a report from Peru. This was recorded on October 7, 2020.

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Since the inception of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC), Denny Doyle has been a leader in the organization and the voice of New Jersey blueberry growers. Continuing our conversation from last week, Doyle guides us through more blueberry history, the future of blueberry promotion and opportunities on the frozen side of blueberry production. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of USHBC and NABC, is joined by Denny Doyle, blueberry grower from New Jersey and the president of the New Jersey Blueberry Industry Advisory Council.

“The overall vision [of USHBC], and I think still holds true to this day, is to bring awareness of our blueberries to the consumer. That is the primary foundation.” - Denny Doyle

“Give me the same kind of professional visionaries [as the fresh side of fruit] on the frozen side of fruit. In my mind, in the short term of a long-term vision, it’s that.” - Denny Doyle

This episode is part two in a conversation with Doyle. Topics include: The foundational reasons for USHBC. Early promotion efforts by USHBC. Importance of having credible health claims. Consumption rates overseas and in the United States. What COVID-19 taught us about blueberries. Future opportunities in the frozen and manufacturing markets.

USHBC/NABC Virtual Conference & Expo Update Due to the Virtual Conference & Expos, there was no crop call recorded this week. In its place, we’ve included a few highlights from the USHBC/NABC Virtual Conference & Expo. Enjoy!

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Since the inception of U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC), Denny Doyle has been a leader in the organization and the voice of New Jersey blueberry growers. Having been involved with the industry for decades, he’s seen it all. In this episode, Doyle helps us explore the history of blueberries in New Jersey and North America, from the renowned Elizabeth White to the formation of the North American Blueberry Council (NABC). Host Kasey Cronquist, president of USHBC and NABC, is joined by Denny Doyle, blueberry grower from New Jersey and the president of the New Jersey Blueberry Industry Advisory Council.

“We had problems back then too … through communication and working with each other, we came up with solutions to move forward.” - Denny Doyle

“There was not even a blueberry sold in California in 1973 … through the development of NABC, our industry started to expand. There was more awareness not only to consumers, but there was also awareness to other growing regions.” - Denny Doyle

This episode features a conversation with Doyle on the long, rich history of blueberries in North America and New Jersey. Topics include: Doyle’s involvement on the USHBC Good Practices Committee. The beginnings of the blueberry industry in New Jersey. Elizabeth White and the True Blue Co-op. How NABC expedited growth in the ‘70s. Lessons for new growers to take from the development of NABC.

Crop Report - September 23, 2020 The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Mark Hurst from Oregon and Bryan Sakuma from Washington. This was recorded on September 23, 2020.

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In 1980, Mark Hurst purchased a modest farm with 3.5 acres of raspberries, loganberries and boysenberries in Sheridan, Oregon. Since planting his first blueberries in 1982, Hurst’s company has grown exponentially, becoming a leading fresh berry shipper worldwide from farms in Oregon, California, Chile, Canada, Washington and Mexico. In this episode, we have a conversation with Hurst about where the blueberry industry has been and where it’s going. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Mark Hurst of Hurst’s Berry Farm and HBF International.

“I think we’ve got to really make sure that is our focus: that we are unified as an industry.” - Mark Hurst

HBF International was started in 2011 to mark the growth of Hurst’s Berry Farm into a renowned brand. Today, Hurst splits his time between his farm and the day-to-day operation of HBF International. HBF is trusted across the globe as a year-round source for fresh berries.

This episode features a conversation with Hurst about his decades of experience in the blueberry industry. Topics include: The Hurst family’s modest beginnings. Benefits of being in the blueberry industry. Establishing USHBC and how it grew the category. Maintaining growth in the blueberry industry. Changes in blueberry genetics. What it will take to launch the next blue wave.

Crop Report - September 16, 2020 The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Jason Smith in British Columbia, Rex Schultz in Michigan, Doug Krahmer in Oregon and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on September 16, 2020.

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Employing robots on a blueberry farm may sound too futuristic to take seriously, but listening to this episode might change your mind. Advancements in robotic-harvesting technology are opening up a world of possibilities for blueberry growers. In today’s podcast, we discuss how one robot is helping hand harvesters, and how it might help blueberry growers in a multitude of other ways in the future. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and the North American Blueberry Council, and Rod Cook, industry veteran and the chair of the Blueberry Technology and Innovation Committee, are joined by Charlie Anderson of Burro Robotics and Paul Macrie of Macrie Brothers Blueberry Farm in New Jersey.

“How can I make that better? How can I make this faster? [Those are] the two things that we are always looking at.” - Paul Macrie

Anderson’s Philadelphia-based company, Burro Robotics, created a robot that’s designed to help people work more productively, while building the base for more automation where it’s needed most. The “Wall-E” style robot transports blueberries and other specialty crops from where they’re picked to where they’re packed. Macrie, a blueberry grower from New Jersey, is exploring the use of this robot at his own operation.

This episode features a conversation with Anderson and Macrie, and their experience with robotic hand-harvesting technology. Topics include: How Anderson and Macrie got started with robotics. How the Burro hand harvester robot works. Macrie’s experience with Burro Robotics. Future robotic applications for the blueberry industry. Price points for blueberry hand-harvesting technology.

Crop Report - September 8, 2020 The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru, Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Bryan Sakuma in Washington, and Jason Smith in British Columbia. This was recorded on September 8, 2020.

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Research that documents the healthy properties of blueberries has been instrumental in the growth of the blueberry industry. Ever since the “Blue Wave” that created increased demand for blueberries, the blueberry industry has been at the forefront of health communications and has become a staple in health-centric diets of people across the globe. In this podcast, we talk about where blueberry health research has been and where it’s going. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Dave Brazelton, executive chairman of Fall Creek Farm and Nursery, and chair of the USHBC Health Research Committee.

“Blueberries are a great product, but you gotta do the work and build the body of science.” - Dave Brazelton

While the health messaging of blueberries has been vital to the growth of the category, there’s an urgency to stay ahead of the curve in health research. Continually finding new areas to tout the benefits of blueberries will help continue the upward trend.

This episode features a conversation with Brazelton and his experience with USHBC’s health research initiatives. Topics include: Brazelton and his company, Fall Creek Farm and Nursery. How blueberries outpaced the industry in health communications. The importance of using independent science to build messaging. Finding news areas of health investigation. Supplying product for clinical trials.

Crop Report - September 2, 2020 The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Bryan Sakuma in Washington, Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Rex Schultz in Michigan and Luis Vegas with a report from Peru. This was recorded on September 2, 2020.

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Expanding blueberry demand globally is top priority for USHBC. This isn’t limited to countries where blueberries are already popular, but also searching for expanding markets like Vietnam. In this episode, we have a discussion about the global demand outlook for blueberries. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Alicia Adler, vice president of USHBC and NABC, are joined by Stacy Spivey, director of business development in North America at Alpine Fresh Inc. “There are so many opportunities out there. It’s just going to take some more vetting, conversations and travel.” - Stacy Spivey

Searching the globe for emerging markets is important for a healthy industry with a diverse customer base. Spivey and Alpine Fresh have a wealth of experience in international trade of produce.

This episode features a conversation with Spivey and his experience with the global blueberry export market. Topics include: A conversation with Adler and her role with USHBC. Opportunities for emerging blueberry markets. How the export market informs business decisions. Alpine Fresh’s experiences in Vietnam. Considerations of exporters when considering a new export market. The export learning curve. USHBC export resources.

Crop Report - August 26, 2020 The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Jason Smith in British Columbia, Bryan Sakuma in Washington, Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Rex Schultz in Michigan and Luis Vegas with a report from Peru. This was recorded on August 26, 2020.

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We brought together some longtime industry leaders and asked them each to share what stands out to them as they reflect on the past 20 years. Comments from Denny Doyle, Tom Bodtke, Art Galletta, Rod Cook, Bill Steed, Pat Goin, Jeff Melensky, and Shelly Hartmann.

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For the last few years, a big talking point among farmers across all industries has been the validity of drones in farming. Today, we talk with two precision farming experts and get to the bottom of the technical and practical use of drones on blueberry farms. “When I first started [flying drones], it became pretty apparent to me that the value of the perspective you get from seeing the fields from the air.” - T.J. Hafner Hosts Kasey Cronquist (President of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and the North American Blueberry Council) and Rod Cook (industry veteran and the Chair of the Blueberry Technology and Innovation Committee) are joined by T.J. Hafner, Lead Agronomist for AgriCare and Jason Meyer, Operations and Technology Manager for Peerbolt Crop Management. Precision drone technology can provide growers with hyperspectral data to manage their farm. Jason has helped T.J. implement drones on their operation, identifying issues such as disease and water stress. As with any new technology, there are pros and cons to using drones, but there’s no doubt that drones are helping farmers pinpoint potential issues on their farms. This episode features a conversation with Jason and T.J. and their experiences with drones in the field. Topics include: ● The beginnings of drone use in agriculture ● Data captured by drones ● How the data informs management decisions ● Cost savings with drone use ● Pros and cons of data collected ● Future uses of drone technology Crop Report - August 19, 2020 The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. Today, you’ll hear from Bryan Sakuma in Washington, Rex Schultz in Michigan, Doug Krahmer in Oregon, and Luis Vegas with a report from Peru. This report was recorded on August 19, 2020.

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With nearly forty years of experience in agriculture, Tom Avinelis is one of the foremost experts on sustainable and organic agriculture at scale in the United States. Today, we sit down with Tom and pick his brain on growing two successful companies and leading the blueberry industry in sustainable innovation. “Our working together is what will make us all prosperous in the long term. Togetherness needs to be our focus. ” - Tom Avinelis

Host Kasey Cronquist (president of USHBC and NABC) is joined by Tom Avinelis (Founder and Managing Partner at Agriculture Capital). With each passing year, consumers care more about where and how their food is sourced. Tom is a leader in bringing sustainable products to the marketplace and is one of the most insightful marketing minds in the blueberry industry. Tom is a Founder and Managing Partner at Agriculture Capital, an investment fund that invests in permanent cropland and midstream assets to create customer-driven, appropriately scaled, vertically integrated, regenerative farming enterprises to grow, pack and market high-value produce. Prior to Agriculture Capital, Tom harnessed his expertise in table grapes, blueberries and citrus to grow a world-class marketing enterprise, HomeGrown Farms, into one of the largest organic produce marketing firms in California. This episode features a conversation with Tom and his experience in the blueberry industry. Topics include: ● Importance of culture across the supply chain ● Tom’s journey to the blueberry industry ● Transparency in the marketplace ● Expectations for the Virtual Conference & Expo ● Challenges of COVID-19

Crop Report - August 12, 2020 The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. Today, you’ll hear from Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Bryan Sakuma in Washington, Jason Smith in British Columbia, Denny Doyle in New Jersey and Rex Schultz in Michigan. This report was recorded on August 12, 2020.

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With decades of experience in the blueberry industry, Chris Barnhill and Ken Patterson are the chairs of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), respectively. These two longtime industry leaders discuss the unique roles of the USHBC and NABC, and what the future looks like for both organizations. “I recommend to everyone out there who is listening to this today to really think about joining this organization. We need more participation and other leaders in this industry. ” - Ken Patterson Host Kasey Cronquist (president of USHBC and NABC) is joined by Chris Barnhill (USHBC chair and operator of Blueberry Hill Farms) and Ken Patterson (NABC chair and operator of Island Grove Ag Products). With myriad challenges and opportunities facing the blueberry industry, Chris and Ken rely on their experience to lead USHBC and NABC. Both organizations have distinct roles – USHBC deals with promoting blueberries and NABC handles policy and regulation. Together, they’re shaping the modern blueberry industry. This episode provides an overview of the roles of both USHBC and NABC. Topics include: Changes in the blueberry industry Importance of industry participation Addressing food safety concerns USHBC data program Future challenges Virtual Conference & Expo preview

Crop Report - August 5, 2020 The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North America. Today, you’ll hear from Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Bryan Sakuma in Washington, Jason Smith in British Columbia, Denny Doyle in New Jersey, Pat Goin in Indiana, Rex Schultz in Michigan and Luis Vegas in Peru. This report was recorded on August 5, 2020.

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Purchasing a mechanical harvesting machine in a big decision for any blueberry farm. In this episode, we have a discussion with two harvesting experts about the latest trends in mechanical harvesting technology. “The goal is to match hand-quality fruit.” - Brian Foote

Hosts Kasey Cronquist (President of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and the North American Blueberry Council) and Rod Cook (industry veteran and the Chair of the Blueberry Technology and Innovation Committee) are joined by Brian Foote, Berry Sales Manager for Oxbo Corp and Noel Sakuma, Director of Field Operations for Oregon Berry Packing.

With labor and food safety issues on the rise, there is a demand among blueberry growers for more advanced mechanical harvesting technology. Both Brian and Noel are veterans in the industry and have been leading Oregon blueberry growers in developing and implementing new harvesting technology.

This episode talks about the development of the mechanical harvesting technology, including: Importance of fruit quality Consistency in the field when implementing machinery Results of field trials Packer relationship Evolution of harvest tech Future of blueberry harvesting technology

Crop Report - July 29, 2020 The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets around North America. Today you’ll hear from Rex Schultz in Michigan, Pat Goin in Indiana, Denny Doyle in New Jersey, Doug Krahmer in Oregon, Bryan Sakuma in Washington, and Jose Luis Bustamante in Mexico. This report was recorded on July 29th, 2020.

July is National Blueberry Month! USHBC is rolling out a National Blueberry Month Toolkit, complete with 10 mouth-watering summer recipes, 5 ready-to-go social media posts, one for each week of Blueberry Month, plus a brand new National Blueberry Month seal that you can share with retailers and use on your websites and in your marketing materials. We hope to see all of you participating and sharing in spreading positive blueberry messages during our month! You can find the National Blueberry Month Toolkit on our website: http://www.ushbc.org/resoures (www.USHBC.org/resoures).

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In this episode, we have a discussion about the quickly maturing blueberry industry in Peru. “Less than a decade before, people thought it might be possible to grow blueberries in Peru, [and now] Peru has become the number one exporter of [fresh] blueberries in the world .” - Luis Vegas

Host Kasey Cronquist (President of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and the North American Blueberry Council) is joined by Luis Vegas, Manager of Proandanos, the Peruvian Blueberry Growers Association.

On track to become the biggest South American exporter, the blueberry industry in Peru has grown rapidly in recent years. The future of blueberry production in Peru will have an impact on the U.S. going forward. As the industry in Peru develops, so does the availability of blueberries year round.

This episode talks about the development of the blueberry business in Peru. Topics include: History of the Peruvian market How Peruvian exports are distributed across the globe The Peruvian growing window Challenges facing Peruvian growers Collaboration between North American and Peruvian stakeholders

Crop Report - July 22, 2020 Today you’ll hear from Doug Krahmer in Oregon, followed by Bryan Sakuma in Washington, Denny Doyle in New Jersey, and Jason Smith in British Columbia. This report was recorded on July 22nd, 2020. Here’s Doug Krahmer in Oregon.

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In this episode, we have an in-depth conversation about the recent USHBC Innovation and Technology Survey and how the blueberry industry is adapting to new technologies. “The vast majority of the industry sees itself as very quick to adapt to new technologies and new ideas.” - Robert Pearlstein

Qanopy is a Silicon Valley based consulting firm that specializes in the commercialization of deep science to help business achieve its vision and ensure its long-term success. Qanopy and USHBC partnered to administer the recent USHBC Innovation and Technology Survey. Robert is the President of Qanopy and had a vital role in developing the survey.

This episode talks about the intersection of the blueberry industry and technology through the lens of the recent survey. Topics include: Results of the USHBC Innovation and Technology Survey How to increase productivity with technology Efficiency of current technology used Industry tendencies in adopting new tech How to create a culture of innovation within the blueberry industry

Download the Innovation and Technology Survey at http://www.ushbc.org/resources (www.USHBC.org/resources)

Crop Report - July 15, 2020 The blueberry crop report is an update on crop conditions and markets around North America. On this episode you’ll hear from Neil Moore in North Carolina, Denny Doyle in New Jersey, Todd Sanders in California, Bryan Sakuma in Washington, and Mark Hurst in Oregon. This report was recorded live on July 15th, 2020.

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In this episode, we continue our conversation with Soren Bjorn about the future of Driscoll’s and the blueberry marketplace. “Consumers are willing to pay for quality produce, but it has to deliver.” - Soren Bjorn Host Kasey Cronquist (President of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and the North American Blueberry Council) is joined by Soren Bjorn, the President of Driscoll’s of the Americas. An industry leader known around the globe, Driscoll’s produces and distributes about one third of the berries sold in the United States, including blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. Soren was named President of Driscoll's of the Americas in 2017 after spending a decade plus in the company in a variety of business research and development roles. This episode continues Kasey and Soren’s conversation from last week, focusing on the larger state of the blueberry industry, including: Retail pricing vs. Grower pricing Opportunity for USHBC to Aggregate Production Data Information sharing Driscoll’s Genetic Program Blueberry Regionality Importance Consumer Shopping Behaviors Going Digital The Future of the Plastic Clamshell

Crop Report - July 8, 2020 The blueberry crop report is an update on crop conditions and markets around North America. On this episode you’ll hear from Jose Luis Bustamante in Mexico, followed by Doug Krahmer in Oregon, and Jason Smith in British Columbia. This report was recorded live on July 8th, 2020.

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In this episode, we explore how Driscoll’s is adapting to new market conditions and how they’re preparing for the future. “Blueberries are in the sweet spot of where consumers want to be.” - Soren Bjorn Host Kasey Cronquist (President of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and the North American Blueberry Council) is joined by Soren Bjorn, the President of Driscoll’s of the Americas. An industry leader known around the globe, Driscoll’s produces and distributes about one third of the berries sold in the United States, including blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. Soren was named President of Driscoll's of the Americas in 2017 after spending a decade plus in the company in a variety of business research and development roles. This episode focuses on the larger state of the blueberry industry, including: Why consumers love blueberries Blueberry growth vs. strawberry growth Impact of breeding programs and blueberry genetic development The next blueberry frontier Understanding consumer tendencies Current state of the organic market

Crop Report - July 1, 2020 This segment will appear in each episode to provide an update on what’s happening in the field with voices of growers who many in the industry will recognize. Tune in for reports on crop progress, harvest expectations, and market conditions. In this episode, you’ll hear from Doug Krahmer in Oregon and Denny Doyle in New Jersey. July is National Blueberry Month! USHBC is rolling out a National Blueberry Month Toolkit, complete with 10 mouth-watering summer recipes, 5 ready-to-go social media posts, one for each week of Blueberry Month, plus a brand new National Blueberry Month seal that you can share with retailers and use on your websites and in your marketing materials. We hope to see all of you participating and sharing in spreading positive blueberry messages during our month! You can find the National Blueberry Month Toolkit on our website: http://www.ushbc.org/resoures (www.USHBC.org/resoures).

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In this episode we explore the importance of information that combines high-level retail data with marketer and producer insights of what’s happening in the market. “Information is king. Real numbers, that you can trust, truly drive decision-making.” - Brian Bocock

Host Kasey Cronquist (President of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and the North American Blueberry Council) is joined by co-host Grant Prentice, Senior Vice President & Director of Strategic Insights at FoodMinds.

Kasey and Grant have been working together to develop an overall sales and production data strategy for the organization. Grant has been instrumental in facilitating the weekly blueberry retail sales reports that you can subscribe to https://mailchi.mp/ushbc/nielsen-report?utm_source=U.S.+Highbush+Blueberry+Council&utm_campaign=6ce3ca54b7-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_12_11_05_08_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_57a7a53b39-6ce3ca54b7-371843889 (here. )

Joining Kasey and Grant today are:

Brian Bocock, Michigan blueberry grower, and the Vice President of Sales at Naturipe Farms - one of the largest marketers of blueberries in the United States. Brian also serves as a member of the Promotion Committee at USHBC. He is the recent Alex Wetherbee Award recipient.

“At retail, merchandising changed. All of a sudden, you had to be engaged with the consumer before they ever got to the store, because blueberries were impulse purchases and now they’re no longer impulse purchases because people are buying online.” - Brian Bocock

Adam Brohimer, President of Category Partners - a strategic insights company focusing exclusively on the fresh industries in the retail grocery channel. Category Partners have played a key role in helping USHBC access and translate Nielsen retail sales data.

“Fruit is impulse. Berries are impulse. I’d encourage this industry to be very engaged and drive the discussion with retailers. Help the retailers form their strategy as they begin to emphasize this more and more. There’s a lot we don’t know, but there is one thing we do: online is here to stay.” - Adam Brohimer

This episode focuses on retail data & observations, including: What the consumer is looking for How the retailer is selling and promoting blueberries How current circumstances in 2020 have impacted the market Gathering insights and identifying opportunities through data

Crop Report - June 24, 2020 This segment will appear in each episode to provide an update on what’s happening in the field with voices of growers who many in the industry will recognize. Tune in for reports on crop progress, harvest expectations, and market conditions. In this episode, you’ll hear from Neil Moore in North Carolina, followed by Denny Doyle in New Jersey. Then Jose Luis Bustamante in Mexico, and finished up with Doug Krahmer in Oregon.

“The world is changing right before our eyes, and we have to be nimble. We have to be willing to change. We have to look at everything as if it’s not the best way to do it. Whether it’s packaging and up-sizing the consumer, how we approach the marketplace, how we sell into the marketplace, how we look at our quality, etc.” - Brian Bocock

We’re including “Blueberries Are Essential” posters to hang in your office, packing shed or anywhere you’d like to reflect our pride in what you do. We’ve also developed a series of downloadable “good practices” posters that you can find at http://www.ushbc.org/resources (www.ushbc.org/resources).

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Welcome to the blueberry industry’s brand new podcast! This is your source for the latest information on the production markets, research and technology related to blueberry production. In today’s episode, we meet our co-hosts, set the scene for what this show is all about, and hear our very first crop report, which will be a regular segment on this podcast. Meet your Co-Hosts Kasey Cronquist is the President of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC). He has been in this capacity for almost a year after spending 12 years as CEO of the California Cut Flower Commission. “When I think about what would tune people in to a show like this, it’s certainly hearing from the growers in the field. This, for us, is really an opportunity to have growers share with growers, hear from growers, and talk about our industry...and reach more people than we would with our meetings.” - Kasey Cronquist Rod Cook is a blueberry industry veteran and the Chair of the Blueberry Technology and Innovation Committee. After many years in the horticultural side of the industry, he moved into marketing, and now does consulting. Since the Blueberry Technology Symposium is not happening this year, Rod will be helping to bring some of its valuable content to this podcast. “You can listen to this thing while you’re out running the sprayer or whatever else you’re doing out in the field.” - Rod Cook

What Can Listeners Expect from this Podcast? Markets. What’s happening in channels where people are buying blueberries: retail, food service, manufacturing. We will talk to our research suppliers and analysts, and market leaders in each area. We will also find out what importers/exporters are seeing in other parts of the world, and what is happening in trade policy. Technology. The latest in machine harvesting, drones, robotics, sorting and IoT sensors. We will share the results of the recent technology survey and what we plan to do with those findings to help members. We will also sit down with leading experts in the technologies which will shape the future. Farm. Insights from leading growers, and ideas for managing labor, logistics, finances, and marketing. We will also discuss the latest in horticultural practices, pest management, and food safety.

Crop Report - June 3rd, 2020 This segment will appear in each episode to provide an update on what’s happening in the field, with voices of growers who many in the industry will recognize. Hear from Neil Moore in North Carolina, Bill Steed in California, and Denny Doyle in New Jersey.

Resources: https://ushbc.org/resources/the-blueberry-method-toolkit/ (USHBC TOOLKIT) https://www.blueberrycouncil.org/the-blueberry-method (Blueberry Method Campaign with Dr. Barry Azul) https://www.unitedfreshlive.org/uf20/Public/Enter.aspx (United Fresh Live! )

Innovation, collaboration, family, and hard work. This is “The Business of Blueberries”.

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We are very excited to announce the launch the blueberry industry's brand new podcast called ‘The Business of Blueberries’. This is an opportunity to bring the blueberry industry together to share knowledge and ideas between growers and everyone involved in the blueberry value chain.

The Business of Blueberries: Recent Episodes

U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council