The Business of Blueberries

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 David Magaña , senior vice president 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. In this episode, Magaña shares the current economic picture for global blueberry supply and demand, and provides a taste of what he’ll share in his keynote presentation at the upcoming 2026 Blueberry Convention , Sept. 22-25 in Monterey, California. “ When we look at how much blueberry availability has been increasing over the past decade, that's an impressive story to tell. But still, with a lot of room for growth. We're talking just in the U.S., when we look only at the fresh segment, about three pounds per person per year, and still with a lot of room for growth.” – David Magaña Topics covered include: An introduction to Magaña and his work at RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness. A discussion of the current economic drivers of global blueberry supply and demand. A recap of a recent presentation Magaña delivered at the 16th Aneberries Conference in Mexico. The outlook for the economic opportunities and potential challenges ahead 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 Emilie Parkanzky in Michigan, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Liczy Sotomayor in Mexico, Luis Vegas in Peru and Sunny Brar in British Columbia. This was recorded on August 27, 2026.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.