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 Oregon Blueberry Sales Manager Doug McCann. Oregon Blueberry is one of the largest wholesale blueberry nurseries in North America. McCann brings deep expertise in supply-and-demand forecasting, and his work supports decision-making across the blueberry supply chain. He’s also an active participant in industry conversations, regularly engaging through research, conferences and fellow growers to stay ahead of emerging trends.
“Yield has been a consistent driver in our breeding program. We know there’s firmness out there. We know there’s storage life. We know there’s flavor. We have all those characteristics in the industry. We’ve got to get the yields up, and I think that’s so important to the grower, and that’s what’s going to carry them into the future.” – Doug McCann
Topics covered include:
- A description of Oregon Blueberry’s history and how its breeding program has evolved.
- An overview of four recent cultivar releases from Oregon Blueberry.
- A discussion about Rabbiteye, its reputation and its future.
- The importance of target traits like flavor, firmness, storage and especially higher yields.
Crop Report
The Blueberry Crop Report was given live at the Blueberry Convention this week in Monterey. It will return to the podcast next week!
