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 Chelsea Consalo, vice president of operations for Consalo Family Farms in New Jersey, and Ellie Norris, owner/manager of Norris Blueberry Farms in Oregon. Consalo is a fourth-generation producer and serves on the New Jersey Blueberry Industry Advisory Council. Norris is a second-generation blueberry grower and packer who leads a fresh pack operation. They join us to talk about the future of the blueberry industry from the perspective of the next generation of blueberry leaders. 

“I think people don't realize how much of a full-time job produce is, don't really realize what it takes to get crops from the farm to the table and don't realize what's involved. Because we're vertically integrated, we have a hand in all parts of it.” - Chelsea Consalo

“If we continue to open up markets around the world, we're going to open up demand for blueberries, and specifically U.S. blueberries. … There is a great demand for the quality fruit that the U.S. produces into a lot of countries out there.” -Ellie Norris

 Topics covered include: 

• An introduction to Consalo and Norris. 
• A look into the experiences of these next-generation blueberry producers and their dedication to the industry.
• A discussion of what Consalo and Norris think the future of blueberries looks like. 

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Daniel Bustamante in Peru, Andres Armstrong in Chile and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on December 21, 2023.