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 New Jersey blueberry grower Art Galletta. Galletta shares his experience growing up as a familiar name in the blueberry industry and his family’s history in the business. He also discusses the New Jersey crop this year and his view on the importance of USHBC and NABC.

 “Taste is still really high on the criteria and along with that is firmness and the ability to carry. You need good, strong berries that will taste good and take a ride and store well so that it can go a longer distance and spread out your product. That's a way to add value to your business is to make it to more markets ” - Art Galletta

 “I think we need to create more and better opportunities to get the newer generation involved. … I see a lot of leadership qualities in these kids and I'm encouraged that we're gonna turn it over to people that are capable.” - Art Galletta

Topics covered include:

• What it’s like to be a legacy farmer in a family of blueberry growers in New Jersey.
• The Galletta family's journey in the blueberry industry, and Art’s influence on the NABC and USHBC.
• Galletta’s predictions for the future of the blueberry industry.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. The Pacific Northwest has basically wrapped up, marking the end of the domestic season for the year, but Doug Krahmer from Oregon joins us for a recap. He's joined by Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on September 28, 2022.