Northwest Berry Foundation

Columbia Star blackberry covered in icy snow 2/15/21 by Jason Myer

Week 8
February 19, 2021
Julie Pond
WHAT'S INSIDE Northwest Berry Foundation
Industry Resources
Grower Resources
Industry News As Tom digs his way out of the near foot of snow with no power to boot, I
figure I better step up for this Small Fruit Update since my power outage didn't
Industry Calendar last longer that one night. While I was pleased that my wish to have a few
schooling-free days was granted, I didn't know that it would be at the cost of
the havoc raised by The Cold-Hearted Valentine Storm (the naming of such
SFU Sponsors storms baffles me sometimes).

Of the few conversations I've had with growers just prior to the storm, many
were holding their breath, commenting that both the caneberry and blueberry
buds were still mostly dormant. Some were holding off on finishing up February
cane training with the hope that snow would have some insulating effect which,
Subscribe here in many cases, I believe it did. However, I cringe when I think of the Fraser
Valley winds that were whipping through fields farther North. I'm sure we will
hear the effects of this storm in the near future.

The Washington Blueberry Commission sent out a recent newsletter expanding

on a recently funded cold hardiness study that, while not yet complete, included
a breakdown of more common cultivars and the crop stage in which damage
can occur as bud break collides with cooler temperatures. Take a look and stay
warm out there.

Small Fruit Update is

produced once a week
during the growing
season and bimonthly
outside the growing
season (Oct - Feb)
 Industry Resources

Open Position: USDA Plant Pathologist

A permanent USDA Agricultural Research Service technician position (GS level 9 or 11) with a
focus on diseases of small fruits is currently open for applications until February 19, 2021.
The position is located at the WSU Northwestern Washington Research and Education Center in
Mount Vernon, Washington.
View Job Posting

Do you use biocontrol? Do you want to use biocontrol?

ODA wants to hear from you! Oregon Department of Agriculture and Oregon IPM Center have
created a survey of grower and commodity groups to understand use, perception, and needs for
biological control in the state. This information will be used to help shape the direction of ODA’s
arthropod biological control program to best aid growers. The survey takes about 5 minutes or less
and responses are anonymous.

ODA Sur vey

Podcasts for the Industry

• The Business of Blueberries: A podcast from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council hosted
by Kasey Cronquist and Rod Cook.
• Celebrating Heart Health Month with Blueberries (2/18)

• PolliNation: A podcast from Oregon State University Extension Service hosted by Dr.
Andony Melathopoulos.
• Episode 169: Moving your pollinator garden up a notch (February 2021)
 Grower Resources

Weather

Click here
for Rufus La
Lone’s long-

Regional Monitoring

View Full
Report

Sign-up
here

Februray 4, 2021

In this week's Agragene SWD report we have the first full dataset of 2021. All traps were counted
on 1/15, except for our Forest Grove location which was unfortunately inundated by the deluge of
rain we have received in the past couple weeks. Hopefully waters recede in time for the next round
of data collection.

Location Total
SWD
Sauvie Island 1120
Banks 225
Forest Grove n/a
Cornelius 505
Hillsboro 1420
Yamhill 485
Dundee 525
McMinnville 635
Wilsonville 4060
 Industry News
FEATURED LINKS
U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm
Service Agency Disaster Assistance
Programs
Time for the blueberry industry of the
Americas to come to the table (2/17, Fresh NORTHWEST
Fruit Portal) Cort Brazelton’s analysis in the Washington farm groups sue state over
aftermath of the ITC ruling.
ITC Ruling: Blueberry imports not
causing serious injury (2/11, The Packer)
U.S. and international blueberry
industry reaction to historic ITC ruling
(2/12, Fresh Fruit Plaza
Oregon State entomologists develop
organic product to control SWD (2/8,
Fruit Grower News)
IQF: A viable solution for a sustainable
future? (2/15, Octofrost.com)
The status and future of the strawberry
industry in the United States (January
2019, Hort Technology)
Chile: Most of organic blueberry harvest on
its way to U.S. (2/16, Fresh Fruit Portal)
NORTH AMERICA
Dole Packaged Foods opens new frozen fruit
facility in Georgia (2/15, Fresh Plaza)
emergency COVID-19 regulations (2/15,
Growing Produce)
Senate committee keeps Washington
overtime pay issue alive (2/15, Capital Press)
CALIFORNIA
These are the top issues for California fruit
growers in 2021 (2/15, Growing Produce)
GENETICS/BREEDING
UC Davis releases two now strawberry
varieties (2/15, Fresh Fruit Portal)
STRAWBERRIES
Wish Farms adds growing operation in
Oxnard (2/16, The Packer)

INTERNATIONAL TRADE TECHNOLOGY

COMMISSION INVESTIGATION
Agronometrics in Charts: USITC rules
imported blueberries do not seriously
injure U.S. industry (2/16, Fresh Fruit
Plaza)
U.S. and international blueberry
industry reaction to historic ITC ruling
(2/12, Fresh Fruit Plaza)
Drones: DroneDeploy, Corteva to bring
scalable, best-in-class analytics to farmers
(2/1, Fruit Grower News)
SMALL FRUIT NEWS FROM THE
SOUTHERN REGION SMALL FRUIT
CONSORTIUM (Winter, 2021)
Articles of interest:

Opinion: The debate on blueberry • What do consumers like about fresh-

imports vs domestic supply is worthy of
history books (2/11, Fresh Fruit Portal)
COMPANIES
Driscoll’s Soren Bjorn discusses the ITC
investigation/berry business-5 minute
video (2/14, Yahoo Finance)
COMMISSIONS & COUNCILS
USHBC seeks nominations for regional,
alternate positions (2/16, Fruit Grower
News)
market blackberries?
• Regional fungicide resistance testing of
anthracnose and gray mold
• A new blackberry from Arkansas: ‘Prime-
Ark Horizon’
• Strawberry variety evaluations in open-
field and high tunnel production systems
• Rabbiteye blueberry cultivar evaluation
trial: Preliminary observations

WEATHER/CLIMATE
Northwest winter storm leaves outages, Stay connected with us on social media
possible flooding (2/15, Capital Press)

IMPORTS
Imports of fresh fruit show mixed trends
(2/15, The Packer)

SOUTH AMERICA
South American blueberry exporters
aim to boost blueberry demand in global
markets (2/16, Fresh Fruit Portal)
 Industry Calendar

Blueberries covered in icy snow 2/15/21 by Jason Myer

Feb 16-18
Northwest Agricultural Show. This year's 51st NW Ag Show will be a free
virtual event, featuring a daily line-up of presentations, virtual exhibitor booths, and more. View
details here.

Feb 22-25
North American Raspberry & Blackberry Virtual
Conference. Pull up a chair right there in your own home or farm or office, and come
along to the conference. View event details here. Registration now available.

Feb 22
Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission Meeting.
Regular meeting begins at 10AM. Join zoom meeting: https://zoom.us/j/93021994268

Feb 23-24
Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Class. This virtual
course is offered free! Produce growers, buyers, and others interested in learning about best food
safety practices for growing, harvesting and packing produce. Sign up here.

Feb 24
Oregon Strawberry Commission Annual Meeting. Meeting
begins at 9AM. Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/3970636110 Meeting ID: 397 063
6110

March 24
Oregon Strawberry Commission Meeting. Meeting begins at 10AM.
Further details coming soon.

April 7
Washington Blueberry Commission Meeting. Meeting begins at
10AM. Further details coming soon.

May 26
MRL Harmonization Workshop. Further details coming mid-February. Visit
website here.

July 7
Washington Blueberry Commission Meeting. Further details
coming soon.
The Small Fruit Update
This is the sole industry
publication, gathering grower
and producer news, and regional
field reports to unite, stabilize,
and strengthen the Northwest
berry growing region (Canada
and US).

Production is independent of
government and commercial
control and made possible by
the following commission &
councils.

Triple Crown Blackberry 7/22/12 by Tom Peerbolt

For more information or requests

please contact:
Abby Gearing, SFU Designer & Editor
abby@nwberries.org
Tom Peerbolt, NBF Director & Editor
tom@peerbolt.com

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