National Berry Crop Initiative
Specialty crops, such as fruits, vegetables,
nuts, and berries, account for 50 percent
of all crop-based agriculture, according
to the USDA’s National Agriculture
Statistics Service. Small fruits, including
strawberries, blueberries, table grapes,
blackberries, raspberries, cranberries, and
currants, are high value horticultural crops
used in both fresh and processed fruit markets.
Berry crops have the potential to improve
vision, fight cancer, and treat infections,
but more research, education, and extension
efforts are needed to determine the potential
health benefits of these crops and to help
inform producers and consumers about the
benefits.
CSREES and the National Berry Crop Initiative
are working together to develop a strategic
research and extension plan for berry crops.
The strategic plan will help inform state
and federal funding agencies on how to best
serve this group of stakeholders. A workshop
to refine a draft strategic plan will be
held immediately prior to the annual meeting
of the North Central Coordinating Committee
022 (NCCC022, formerly NCR022) in Geneva,
NY. NCCC022 is a multi-state working group
focused on small fruit research and extension.
The workshop will bring together growers,
industry representatives, and research and
extension faculty from across the country.
Dates for the workshop are October 25-26,
2005. There will be a get-to-know-you social
at the workshop hotel on the evening of October
24. Courtney
Weber and Marvin
Pritts from Cornell University are serving
as local arrangement hosts. For more information,
contact Tom
Bewick, CSREES National Program Leader
for horticulture.
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