The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) has been awarded $1.5 million from the second round of the U.S. Department of Food and Agriculture's (USDA) Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP). Earlier this year, USHBC received $1.3 million in RAPP funding.
"These grants are critical to our efforts to expand into markets like Vietnam, India, and South Korea, and we're grateful to have been a recipient of a grant for the second time this year as we continue to spread the word about the quality, versatility, and health benefits of blueberries to new markets," said USHBC President Kasey Cronquist.
USDA received proposals for RAPP grants from a range of agricultural trade organizations, state regional trade groups, agricultural cooperatives, and state agencies. Proposals for the second round exceeded the available funding, with eligible entities submitting more than $1 billion in project requests.
Once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied, second-round grants totaling $300 million are expected to go to 67 partners. The latest investment brings total RAPP funding to $600 million in 2024.
Also, nine members and 10 alternate members have been appointed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack to serve on the USHBC. Eighteen appointees will serve a three-year term beginning from Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2027, and one alternate appointee will serve a one-year term ending Dec. 31, 2025.
The council is composed of 21 members, including 12 growers (four regional representatives and eight representatives from the top eight highbush blueberry-producing states); four importers; four exporters; and one public member. In addition to each council member, an alternate member is also appointed. Council members and their alternates are appointed to three-year terms and can be reappointed for one additional three-year term.
The newly appointed USHBC members are:
- Western Region Member: Nathan Sakuma, Washington
- Midwest Region Member: Katelyn Craig, Michigan
- Northeast Region Member: Brandon J. Raso, New Jersey
- Southern Region Member: Jody A. McPherson, North Carolina
- Public Member: William O. Cline, North Carolina
- Importer Member: Gonzalo de Elizalde, California
- Exporter Member: Juan Pablo Vogt, Chile
- Exporter Member: Daniel J. Bustamante, Peru
- Exporter Member: Miguel Méndez, Mexico
Newly appointed alternates are:
- Western Region Alternate: Anne Krahmer-Steinkamp, Oregon
- Midwest Region Alternate: Kara Lynn-Hartmann Laraway, Michigan
- Northeast Alternate: Alec Arena, New Jersey
- Southern Alternate: Dan J. Register, Georgia
- Public Alternate: Patricio R. Munoz, Ph.D., Florida
- Importer Alternate: Bonnie Lundblad, New Jersey
- Exporter Alternate: Ruy Barbosa, Chile
- Exporter Alternate: José Antonio Castro, Peru
- Exporter Alternate: Raul Gonzalez Chavez, Mexico
Alternate member appointed to fill the vacancy, with a term ending Dec. 31, 2025:
- Alternate Member: Brandon Wade, Georgia
For more information:
Kristy Babb
North American Blueberry Council
Tel: +1 (916) 461-2205
[email protected]
https://nabc.blueberry.org/