03/11/05 Highbush blueberry checkoff, Pt. 2

03/11/05 Highbush blueberry checkoff, Pt. 2

Since it's formation in 2001 as a federal commodity check-off program, the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council has grown both in size and in effort to expand markets. Oregon grower Mark Hurst is the Chair of the Council's Executive Board. And he says the effort is needed, especially for Northwest growers of highbush blueberries. HURST: If you include British Columbia into the west, our number actually is almost half of the industry right now. Oregon last year, 2004, produced thirty-four million pounds of blueberries which in the United States puts us about third. Washington produced about 18 million pounds. British Columbia produced 63 million pounds. Domestic promotion efforts have included public relations kits with various media, and working with food production companies in both creating blueberry added recipes and incorporating blueberries into company products. Hurst says there has been large growth in those areas. But the other half of the Council's focus is expanding foreign markets for highbush blueberries. HURST: It's really helped us kick off our Japan market. And we're now looking at new markets. We've done pretty successful programs in Taiwan. Iceland is another one. We're looking at India now, and that's a new project for us for this coming year. HURST: A lot of the articles that you see in magazines are spurred by our public relations company sending out media kits to these magazines, newspapers, and so forth & talking to them about these latest information about blueberries.
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