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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 WinlandTopics 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 ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report will return next week.Marketing Boost - Highlighting Blueberry Health BenefitsIn 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. 

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 ArmstrongTopics 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. 

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 MalenskyTopics 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: www.USHBC.org/emoji. 

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 LeaderMichael Dosset, Ph.D., research scientist with BC Berry Cultivar DevelopmentVonnie Estes, Produce Marketing Association vice president of technologyAnd many more!Marketing BoostAlso 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.

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 BrownTopics 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 BoostAlso 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.

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.

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 SparksThis episode features a conversation with Sparks. Topics include: Jenni’s background in the floral industryInitial impressions of the virtual conferenceImportance of adapting your product to consumer needsMaking 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.

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 DoyleThis 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 UpdateDue 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!

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 MacrieAnderson’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. 

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 BrazeltonWhile 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. 

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 SpiveySearching 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. 

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.

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.  

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 AvinelisHost 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-19Crop Report - August 12, 2020The 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.

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 PattersonHost 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 industryImportance of industry participationAddressing food safety concernsUSHBC data programFuture challengesVirtual Conference & Expo previewCrop 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.  

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 FooteHosts 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 trialsPacker relationshipEvolution of harvest techFuture 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: www.USHBC.org/resoures.

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 VegasHost 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 marketHow Peruvian exports are distributed across the globeThe Peruvian growing windowChallenges 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.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: www.USHBC.org/resoures.

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 PearlsteinHosts 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 Robert Pearlstein, President of Qanopy Group. 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 SurveyHow 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 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.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: www.USHBC.org/resoures.

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 BjornHost 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 pricingOpportunity for USHBC to Aggregate Production DataInformation sharing Driscoll’s Genetic ProgramBlueberry Regionality ImportanceConsumer Shopping Behaviors Going DigitalThe Future of the Plastic ClamshellCrop 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.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: www.USHBC.org/resoures.

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 BjornHost 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 frontierUnderstanding consumer tendenciesCurrent 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: www.USHBC.org/resoures.