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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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.

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 Kristy 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...

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...

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 North Carolina University Associate 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...

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...

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...

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...

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 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....

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...

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...

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 Blue program....

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...

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...

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...

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), reviews trends, highlights and milestones shared on the podcast in 2022.  The discussion features clips from these previous “The Business of Blueberries” episodes:  Driving the Forward Momentum in the Blueberry Industry With Soren BjornQuality and Genetics – Part Two With Brad Moorer of MBG MarketingGlobal Market...

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...

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...

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...