Work continues at the mechanical pruning trial site in Red Bluff. The trial, funded by the California Prune Board and led by Dr. Rich Rosecrance at Chico State, was initiated in 2019 and aims to identify lower cost pruning alternatives for growers without compromising yield or fruit quality. The study site is an orchard planted in 2011 at a spacing …

Joe Vargas has been hired as the director of business intelligence for the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and North American Blueberry Council (NABC). In this newly created role, Vargas is responsible for developing and leading a best-in-class data and insights program for the blueberry industry. “We’re thrilled to welcome Joe to the team and can’t wait for him to lend …

The North American Raspberry & Blackberry Association (NARBA) has reached the decision that its annual conference in February 2022, will move to a virtual conference format due to the ongoing disruption of the Covid 19 pandemic. The conference was previously formatted as a hybrid meeting, both in-person in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and virtual. All sessions will now be live-streamed for virtual …

A new study published in Clinical Nutrition and supported by the US Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) found that the equivalent of one cup of fresh blueberries, consumed as 26 g of freeze-dried blueberries, may reduce the acute cardiometabolic burden of energy-dense meals. Or, simply put: The new research further supports that blueberries may benefit heart health. As part of USHBC’s programming engaging …

At the US Highbush Blueberry Council’s (USHBC) Innovate 2021 Conference, Markus Kleber, professor of soil system science at Oregon State University, hosted a “Carbon Sequestration Lunch.” The session provided an overview of carbon sequestration and detailed the potential benefits to blueberry growers and farmers everywhere. Kleber explained that, as carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere increases, CO2 molecules absorb part …

The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) today announced details around its recently approved 2021-2025 strategic plan, which charts an ambitious course to exponentially grow the volume and value of blueberries domestically and across the globe. The comprehensive plan explains how USHBC will lead demand-driving programs based on shared resources, research and insights that inspire possibilities and sustain the profitable growth …

The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) recently announced the appointment of Leslie Wada, Ph.D., RD, as senior director of nutrition and health research. A longtime consultant for the council, Wada will continue to manage USHBC’s multi-million dollar pipeline of health research projects as she has for the past 12 years. In her expanded role, Wada will have increased ownership and responsibility …

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, and the California Walnut Board (CWB) and U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) are collaborating with a select group of retailers, including Coborn’s, Rouses Markets and Weis Markets, to encourage consumers to “grab a boost of blue and walnuts, too!” Activations will include unique opportunities such as local TV segments, e-newsletter features, Facebook Lives, and …

The California Strawberry Commission has launched a campaign to connect the heart of strawberries with the heart of people. Throughout peak strawberry season 2021, consumers will have access to real farmer and farmworker stories through a #StoryBehindtheBerry webisode series shared across Facebook, Instagram and www.californiastrawberries.com. To inspire people to eat more healthy strawberries, consumers can enter the #CAStrawberryChallenge by recreating …

Blueberry growers were disappointed in US International Trade Commission’s ruling today, not seeing the threat of rising imported foreign-grown blueberries to domestic growers.  The American Blueberry Growers Alliance (ABGA) released the following statement regarding the outcome of the ITC’s global safeguard investigation into imports of fresh, chilled or frozen blueberries: “The American Blueberry Growers Alliance (ABGA) is disappointed with the …