U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council

Did you catch the latest episode? Farming, Finance and The Future With JC Clinard of Frutura ?? ?? 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 Listen Here: https://lnkd.in/gaRAKQBe #GoBlueberries #InspiringPossibilities #USHBC #BlueberryIndustry #Passion #TheBusinessofBlueberriesPodcast #Blueberries #Agriculture #Farming #HarvestingChange #Engagement #JCClinard #Frutura #BerryDivision #thirdgenerationfarmer #Industry #Citrus #UniversityofFlorida #FoodResourceEconomics #CEOBerries

Did you catch the latest episode? Wade Jackson on Berry Genetics at Family Tree Farms ?? ?? 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 Listen Here: https://lnkd.in/g43ahjJM #GoBlueberries #InspiringPossibilities #USHBC #BlueberryIndustry #TheBusinessofBlueberriesPodcast #Blueberries #Agriculture #Passion #Farming #HarvestingChange #Engagement #WadeJackson #FamilyTreeFarms #MBO #thirdgenerationfarmer #Genetics #BreedingBlueberryVarities #MountainBlueOrchards #Industry

Harvesting Change: Women Leading the Way in Blueberries ?? ?? In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Amanda Griffin, CMP, IOM, 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 K. Jesse is 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 U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and North American Blueberry Council 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 Listen Here: https://lnkd.in/gSGE5m6f #GoBlueberries #InspiringPossibilities #USHBC #BlueberryIndustry #TheBusinessofBlueberriesPodcast #Blueberries #Agriculture #Passion #Farming #WIB #WomeninBlueberries #HarvestingChange #WomenLeaders #Education #Engagement #TrueBlueFarms #NorrisBlueberryFarms #ForestHillsFarms #SupportWomen #Leadership #YoungerGeneration

We’re celebrating National School Breakfast Week with a friendly reminder that blueberries are the ultimate breakfast fruit! ???? Packed with several essential nutrients, blueberries are ?a good source of vitamin C to support immune health and an excellent source of manganese and vitamin K for bone growth. They contain anthocyanins (242 mg/cup), a plant compound responsible for the beautiful blue hue. Plus, blueberries are a good source of fiber, providing 4 grams per cup, which is especially important when you consider that about 90% of kids today aren’t meeting their needs for dietary fiber. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g4SYKyPg USDA Leslie Wada, Ph.D., RD

The Impact of Genetics on Blueberry Quality With Greg Willems ?? ???? ?? 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 Listen Here: https://lnkd.in/gcBHsVXP #GoBlueberries #InspiringPossibilities #USHBC #BlueberryIndustry #TheBusinessofBlueberriesPodcast #Blueberries #Agriculture #Passion #Varieties #Farming #HighQualityBerry #MarketExpansion #CaliforniaBlueberryNursery #G&MFarms #FarmingOperation

USDA Extends Response Deadline for the 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has extended the deadline to submit the 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties to April 18, 2025. This survey, conducted once every five years, is the only source of detailed production and sales data for specialty crops. Submissions can be completed online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail.?

Leadership Class Spotlight: Meet Jake Johnson Class 3 of the Blueberry Industry Leadership Program is in full swing, and we’re excited to introduce you to a fellow from the class each month in Behind the Blue. When Jake Johnson heard about the Blueberry Industry Leadership Program, he was quick to apply. After all, he knew he wanted to grow as a leader alongside others with similar tenure in the industry, network with others in the blueberry community he didn’t regularly rub shoulders with, and create a closer connection to the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and North American Blueberry Council (NABC). “I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the other program fellows through learning and sharing about our individual personality types and leadership styles, as well as working together to come up with a class project and begin the execution phase of that process,” said Johnson, who handles sales and grower support for Fall Creek?. Johnson comes to the Blueberry Industry Leadership Program with an impressive background rooted in agriculture. As a fifth-generation member of Cooley's Gardens, his grandparents' farm, he grew up immersed in the world of farming and plant propagation. Cooley's Gardens specialized in breeding and propagating Irises, with their products reaching markets across the globe. Building on this foundation, Johnson pursued his education at Oregon State University where he honed his expertise in ag business. In 2013, he ventured into the realm of blueberries and has since garnered invaluable experience in the industry. ? Before joining the Fall Creek family, Johnson served as the procurement manager at Firestone Pacific Foods where he worked closely with blueberry growers to ensure a steady supply of fruit for the frozen industry. His wealth of knowledge and experience in sourcing high-quality blueberries positions him as a valuable asset for the Fall Creek? team. “I’m always encouraged by the industry’s ability to take off our company hats and work together for the greater good of the blueberry industry. This is something special about ‘blueberry people,’ and I believe it has been key to the success and growth of the Industry,” Johnson shared. “I’m excited to work together with the other leadership class fellows and build lifelong working relationships with them. There is so much value in building a network across the industry and I look forward to continuing that through this program.”?

We had the pleasure of welcoming Wade Jackson, a third-generation family owner, grower and Blueberry Board Member at Family Tree Farms, to Blueberry HQ for a special in-person recording of “The Business of Blueberries” podcast! ?????? Wade sat down with U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) President Kasey Cronquist to dive into a fascinating conversation about blueberry genetics, innovation in breeding and what the future holds for growers and consumers. As someone deeply rooted in agriculture, Wade brings incredible insight into the role genetics play in shaping flavor, quality and sustainability in the blueberry industry. Stay tuned for this episode coming to listeners soon! You don’t want to miss this discussion.

Preserving the Shelf Life of Blueberries With George Lobisser ?? ???? ?? 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, Inc. RipeLocker, Inc. 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, Inc. 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 Listen Here: https://lnkd.in/gneUBF3N #GoBlueberries #InspiringPossibilities #USHBC #BlueberryIndustry #TheBusinessofBlueberriesPodcast #Blueberries #Agriculture #RipeLocker #GeorgeLobisser #ScienceBased #DataDriven #Efficacy #Containers #ExtendPostHarvestLife #Healthy #Quality #Eating #Passion

Happy Valentine's Day from the fruit you love – that’s also heart-healthy! ?? ?? #GoBlueberries #InspiringPossibilities #StrongerTogether #USHBC