More Berries into More Hands
By Heather Fara - NW Berry Foundation

The Northwest Berry Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that exists to strengthen the berry industry in the Pacific Northwest, inclusive of the US and Canada. 

The majority of our work is communication-focused, bridging gaps in knowledge among researchers, growers, processors and government. We publish the Small Fruit Update, linking field reports across state and national boundaries to give the Pacific Northwest comprehensive snapshots of environmental, economic and political conditions week to week. 

When industry issues arise, we are uniquely poised to quickly survey the community and either launch or support research projects when answers aren’t found. We are currently conducting on-farm research on the spread of rose stem girdler, the viability of new strawberry and caneberry varieties and how drones might aid in monitoring blueberry pests. 

We also tackle big picture system issues. In the new era of food safety regulation and modernization, tons of berries remain in commercial fields post-harvest. At the same time the number of food insecure families has risen exponentially. We saw an opening for system change and are piloting a project in Oregon to train gleaning groups in FSMA. Next year we are looking for GAP-certified berry farms near our groups willing to plan berry recovery into their harvest. Berries will then reach local seniors, children and other individuals in need. Science says a handful of berries is the best nutrition when managing stress, cancer and a number of chronic illnesses -- no population stands to benefit more from berry recovery. 

With our knowledge, we are regularly asked to create fact sheets and speak before councils and conferences. Increasingly we organize workshops and conferences on behalf of industry, government and academic groups. As we eliminate gaps in information sharing, we expect the Pacific Northwest berry industry to dominate in both efficiency and sustainability, so more berries get into more hands.