BERRY COMMISSIONS NEWS

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1 SPRING 2006 BERRY COMMISSIONS NEWS A grower newsletter for the Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission and the Oregon Strawberry Commission 1 ORBC & OSC Approve Funding to Support Oregon Minimum Wage Study If you are a part of Oregon agriculture, you know that minimum wage indexing has had an economic impact on your industry. Anecdotal evidence aside, how significant the impact, has been difficult to determine. The 2005 Legislative session received some traction on finding a way to diminish the impact of the minimum wage through the use of tax credits. Growing economic concerns have led to an organized effort by leaders in Oregon agriculture to get clear answers regarding the financial impact that the minimum wage is having on their industry. A meeting on February 16, 2006 at the Oregon Association of Nurseries drew a diverse cross section from Oregon agriculture. The group agreed that the approach needed to gain a clear understanding of what the overall financial impact is to gather empirical data from an independent study. What also needs to be determined is how the majority of Oregonians feel about Oregon agriculture and any impact minimum wage indexing has had on the economy. They agreed that a valid poll must be conducted to ascertain the public s perspectives on this issue, to determine if they are concerned about the economic impact to Oregon agriculture, and if they would be receptive to any changes. The Oregon Farm Bureau will take the lead in finding qualified entities to perform the study and poll. It is estimated that the expense for this project will be close to $100,000. The Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission approved $6,000 and the Oregon Strawberry Commission approved $3,500 to support this educational effort. The next meeting of the group is April 21st. - I N S I D E - ORBC, OSC, Partner to Promote Smoothies...2 With Great Taste Comes Great Power-Brochure...3 Sweeter. Redder. Simply Better- Brochure...3 ORBC PAGES ORBC Public Hearing Notice...4 Information on Phragmidium Rust Disease...4 Rally Approved for Evergreen Blackberries Berry Health Benefits Symposium Update...6 Eugene Littau Honored with Bob Conroy Award...6 Worldwide Production of Blackberries...7 USDA Red Raspberry Puree Sale Pending...7 NWREC, Caneberry Open House...7 Produce of the Month Proposed Research Budget Proposed Budget...9 Commissioner & Committee List..10 OSC PAGES Why is California agriculture still using methyl bromide?...11 OSC Public Hearing Notice...11 China a rising competitor in processed strawberry market...12 NWREC, Strawberry Open House Proposed Research Budget...13 Commissioner & Committee List Proposed Budget...15

2 ORBC, OSC, Tillamook County Creamery Association and Sunshine Dairy Partner to Promote Smoothies -by Cat McKenzie, Berry Works, Inc.- Berry News The Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission (ORBC) and the Oregon Strawberry Commission (OSC) have joined forces with the Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) and Sunshine Dairy to help promote Tillamook s popular line of yogurt smoothies. First introduced in 2005, the two most popular smoothie flavors are Oregon Marionberry and Oregon Strawberry, both of which are made using only Oregon berries. Sunshine Dairy who manufactures and markets the smoothies represents TCCA in the partnership. This partnership ties in well with the commission s promotional goals aimed at highlighting the nutraceutical benefits of Oregon berries. The smoothie s target audience is a consumer looking for healthful products and willing to pay more for such a product. Each Commission has committed promotional funds to the program that will be matched by TCCA. The marketing promotion for the smoothies will utilize a print campaign in Northwest newspapers focusing on the quality and flavor of Oregon berries that are used in the drinks. Ads with a coupon incentive have appeared in numerous papers including The Oregonian, Spokane Spokesman Review and the Seattle Times. Sales of the TCCA smoothies have been strong and continue to grow. The current partnership will increase consumer awareness of the great taste and health benefits of Oregon berries while giving all partners exposure through ads, website links and media promotion. 2 ~ Newsletter Ads ~ The Berry Commissions News accepts advertisements and inserts on a first come, first served basis. Space is limited. Ad size is a maximum of 1/4 page and inserts are generally limited to one 8 x 11 inch sheet. Ad space in the newsletter is currently free of charge. Printing costs do apply for inserts and must be paid by the advertiser in advance. All ads and inserts must be relevant to the berry industry and are subject to approval. Inserts must be prepared and ready for printing by the advertiser. Berry Commissions News is published by Pacific Northwest Administration, Inc B SW Dresden Ave., Corvallis, OR Phone: Fax: ORBC berries@oregon-berries.com OSC reachus@oregon-strawberries.org

3 Berry News With Great Taste Comes Great Power Get This Brochure Today! The Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission (ORBC) growers and processors looking for a new means of letting customers know about the outstanding health benefits of Oregon berries have a great tool at their disposal this season. The newest ORBC promotional brochure entitled With Great Taste Comes Great Power, is not only an elegant eye catcher, but contains the most up to date health benefit berry information available. The best news is that this fantastic marketing tool is available absolutely free. The brochure is a three fold, full color presentation that is designed to let people know that Oregon berries are among the highest foods in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and a host of other nutrients. The brochure is written in clear and to the point language, which is easy for customers to understand. The central section of the brochure features a breakdown of the health benefits of six individual berries red raspberry, black raspberry, Marionberry, Boysenberry, Loganberry, and blackberry. The nutritional impact that eating these berries can have on health, such as helping the body fight against cancer, heart disease, mental aging and inflammation, is clearly outlined. A basic guide to the terms used in speaking about berries and health is included in the brochure. Tongue twisting terms such as ellagic acid, anthocyanins and antioxidants are defined in a section called How to increase your vocabulary in just one bite Consumers have shown that health is one of their number one concerns regarding food purchases. This brochure will help you, the grower, or the processor, answer the questions that your customers have on berries and health and will allow you to offer them an information packed handout to take home. The ORBC is making these brochures available to all Oregon berry growers and processors upon their request. This stunning brochure will definitely fly off the self at your fruit stand or be the keystone of your company s presentation portfolio. The brochures are offered free of charge and you may order as many as you will need by contacting the ORBC offices at Sweeter. Redder. Simply Better Get This Brochure Today! The Oregon Strawberry Commission s (OSC) growers and processors looking for ways to let customers know about the outstanding benefits of Oregon berries have a great tool at their disposal. The OSC promotional brochure entitled Sweeter. Redder. Simply Better, is not only an elegant eye catcher, but contains references to the health benefits as well. This marketing tool is available absolutely free. The brochure is a three fold, full color presentation that is designed to let people know why Oregon strawberries are best when taste matters. The brochure is written in clear and to the point language, which is easy for customers to understand. This brochure will help you, the grower, or the processor, answer the questions that your customers have on berries and health and will allow you to offer them an information packed handout to take home. The OSC continues to make these brochures available to all Oregon strawberry growers and processors free year-round. This stunning brochure will definitely fly off the self at your fruit stand or be the keystone of your company s presentation portfolio. As mentioned above, the brochures are offered free of charge and you may order as many as you will need by contacting the OSC offices at

4 R aspberry & Blackberry News Notice of Public Hearing Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission Proposed Budget The Proposed Budget is Published on Page 9 As required by ORS , the Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission (ORBC) will hold a public meeting for the purpose of receiving comments on the Commission s proposed budget for the next fiscal year. DATE: Monday, May 15, 2006 TIME: 5:00 p.m. PLACE: NW Viticulture Center Chemeketa Community College 4000 Lancaster Dr. NE Bldg. 60 Salem, Oregon Copies of the proposed budget are available at the commission office, 4845 B SW Dresden Ave., Corvallis, OR 97333, and on-line at The meeting location is accessible to persons with disabilities. A request for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or for other accommodations for person with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours before the meeting to , TTY Information on Phragmidium Rust Disease -by Tom Peerbolt, Peerbolt Crop Management- This rust disease is presently found on evergreen blackberries (Rubus lacinatus) and weedy Himalayan blackberries (R. armeniacus). Background: In the summer of 2005 it became evident that many Evergreen Blackberry fields in Oregon were being infected with a previously unknown rust disease. That rust has recently been identified as Phragmidium violaceum. This particular organism is being used as a biocontrol agent for Himalayan blackberry in Australia, New Zealand and Chile. The Oregon Department of Agriculture discovered it on Himalayan blackberry in southern Oregon earlier this year. It has subsequently been found infecting specific biotypes of Himalayan blackberry from northern California throughout the Willamette Valley and Washington as well as infecting commercial plantings of Evergreen blackberries in Oregon and southwest Washington. It has not yet been identified as infecting any other cultivated varieties of blackberries or raspberries. Susceptibility testing of other varieties is ongoing. Identification: This disease is quite distinct from our usual blackberry leaf and cane rust. Wine colored spots appear on the top of infected leaves. Directly under these spots, on the bottom of these leaves there will be circular patches of cream to yellow spore masses surrounded by a violet tinge. Advanced stages of the disease will also have black spores mixed in with the yellow spores. Older leaves close to the canes are the first infected and can eventually die. Defoliation of entire canes has been seen in severe cases. Spores can also often be found on the blossoms and unripened fruit. All green portions of both primocanes and floricanes can be infected. Research: Ken Johnson (OSU) carried out a fungicide trial in October and November The results of that trial are below. Ken Johnson, Jay Pscheidt (OSU) and Walt Mahafee (USDA) are actively involved in ongoing and new projects and fungicide trials to help us understand and control this disease The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the USDA are also actively involved in evaluating its impact and minimizing the potential economic threat to your crop. OSU Rust Disease Control Recommendations: These control recommendations are the researchers best guess given the limited research on this disease in the Pacific Northwest but based on similar diseases in this and other crops. 4 Treatment Strategy: In the absence of specific information, our strategy is to integrate multiple cultural and chemical tactics - Continued on Page 5 -

5 Information on Phragmidium Rust Disease - Continued from Page 4 - based on their performance in other systems. Cultural tactics and dormant season lime sulfur will help reduce initial innoculum sources while chemical tactics will focus on protection of young, healthy plant tissues. Chemical protection needs to start in April and could need to continue through green fruit development or until the weather turns from our typical rainy springs to our typical dry summers. The value of fall applications is unknown at this time. Best guess fungicide program for early 2006 season : The following is a merely a guide based on the fall fungicide trial. All growers must use their best judgment in decisions of materials and timing. Variables such as weather and disease severity should be taken into consideration. 1. Around mid April apply Rally at 5 oz/acre (Oregon) 2. Approximately two weeks later around May 1 apply Abound at 15.4 oz/acre 3. Approximately two weeks later around mid May apply Rally at 5 oz/acre (Oregon) 4. Approximately two weeks later, as bloom begins in early June, apply Pristine at 23 oz./acre. Cabrio (14 oz/acre) would be equally effective on rust, however, Pristine would give the added benefit of potential fruit mold prevention. Results of fungicide trial: In October and November 2005 Dr. Ken Johnson, Oregon State University, conducted chemical control trials that included some fungicides not presently labeled for use in blackberries to determine their effectiveness in controling Phragmidium rust in evergreen blackberries. Registered: Kocide, Ziram, 2.5 oz rate of Rally Abound, Cabrio Registered (Oregon only): 5 oz rate of Rally Unregistered: Orbit, Elite, Indar, 1. Best control was from Rally at 5 oz per acre. 2. Very good control also seen from lower rate of Rally, Orbit and Elite. 3. Good control was seen with Abound, Indar and Cabrio. 4. No control with Ziram or Kocide. Trade name Chemical name Orbit...propiconazole Rally...myclobutanil Indar...fenbuconazole Abound...Azoxystrobin Elite...tebuconazole Cabrio...pyraclostrobin Ziramzinc...Dimethyldithiocarbate Suggested management strategies throughout the year: Chemical - 1. Dormant and delayed dormant applications of lime sulfur onto fruiting canes. The purpose of these treatments is to eradicate overwintering infections in canes and old leaf debris caught in the cane bundles. Dormant sprays can be applied any time during the winter. For delayed dormant applications, wait until the first buds produce about 0.75 inches of new growth. 2. Spring and summer fungicide cover sprays to both fruiting and primocanes: Start in the spring when new growth is 3 to 4 inches, and continue on a 10 to 14 day schedule up to the beginning of harvest depending on the weather. Alternate fungicide materials from different chemical classes. Note: none of the fungicides will cure or remove existing infections. 3. Fall fungicide sprays: The significance of disease activity during the fall season is not well understood. Field observations to date indicate that this rust only rarely infects canes. Copper applications do not appear to be effective. Cultural Field renovation practices that destroy previously diseased plant parts will contribute to the effectiveness of a chemical control program the following spring: 1. Remove and burn old fruiting canes after harvest, cutting flush with the ground. 2. Cultivate in late fall or early spring to cover fallen leaves, old cane stubs, and refuse before new leaves appear, thus reducing innoculum sources. Rally Approved for Evergreen Blackberries The Rally* Oregon SLN for Rust Control in Evergreen Blackberry (Thornless Evergreen) has been approved. This Evergreen Blackberry SLN label allows for a higher rate of 5 oz/acre and a maximum use of 20 oz/acre per year (while Rally* is still labeled for other Blackberries at the 2.5 oz/ acre rate and a maximum use rate of 10 oz/acre per year). *40W is a systemic, protectant, and curative fungicide. *To control blackberry rust (Phragmidium violaceum) on Evergreen Blackberries. *5 oz/acre per application. *maximum use 20 oz/acre per year. * Apply at 10 to 18 day intervals. *4 applications per calendar year, and one applica tion may be made after harvest. *Pre-harvest interval 5 days. Thank you for getting this label information out to your growers. Rich Lee, Dow AgroSciences, Salem, Oregon fax rhlee@dow.com Raspberry & Blackberry News 5

6 Raspberry & Blackberry News Berry Health Benefits Symposium Update -by Cat McKenzie, Berry Works, Inc.- Plans are underway for the 2007 Berry Health Benefits Symposium (BHBS), which will follow the successful model of the first conference. To help broaden the facilitation of the symposium, a committee was formed using volunteers from the planning session held at the end of the 2005 BHBS. Drawing on members from the berry industry, research scientists and active berry commissions, the International Steering Committee was created to help determine the scope and pinpoint the focus of the 2007 BHBS. The first meeting of the International Steering Committee was held in February 2006 and immediately began to set up structures for working on the symposium and look at potential dates. At this time the International Steering Committee is being co-chaired by Dave Dunn of the ORBC and Willamette Valley Fruit and Chris Christian of the California Strawberry Commission. Members of the Steering Committee include: Jan Schroeder, ORBC; Cat McKenzie, ORBC; Mary DeGroat, California Strawberry Commission; Joe Mazza, Agri Canada; Leslie Wada, US Highbush Blueberry Council; Paul Gross, Berry Wise, Vancouver, BC; Yanyun Zhao, Oregon State University; Ron Prior, USDA-Arkansas Children s Nutrition Center; Henry Bierlink, Washington Red Raspberry Commission; Navindra Seeram, UCLA Nutrition Center; Bob Philips, WBANA; Ron Wrolstad, Oregon State University; Jim Joseph, Tufts University; Gary Stoner, Ohio State University. The ORBC will continue to administer the 2007 and all future symposiums, but would cede local control of the event after the 2007 symposium. The 2007 Berry Health Benefits Symposium will be held in Portland, Oregon, June 20 22, The International Steering Committee is currently focusing on identifying and inviting speakers for the upcoming symposium as well as finalizing a conference headquarters in Portland. For more information on the 2007 Berry Health Benefits Symposium you may contact Cat McKenzie at Eugene Littau Honored with Bob Conroy Award The Bob Conroy Award is a non-annual industry recognition award for people who have contributed in some significant way to the Oregon berry industry. In 1998 Bob Conroy was the first recipient. Past recipients include John Rowell, Arden Sheets, Francis Whitey Lawrence, and Dean Katterheinrich. This year Eugene Gene Littau was honored at the annual growers meeting for his outstanding service to the berry industry with Littau Harvesters. It all started back in 1962 when Eugene Littau got the idea for a machine that would revolutionize the berry picking industry. He began to cut steel for the very first prototype he ever built. Each year, when money permitted, he would work on his harvester. In 1968 he finished his prototype and in 1969 he contracted his machine for the 1970 season. His first harvester machine was a black cap machine. In the years following he built many more machines finding more efficient ways to build and better ways to harvest. In 1974 he built the last of the tractor pulled black cap machines and he decided to go out on a limb and try something new. He built his first two generalpurpose machines. These were the first self-propelled machines utilizing the berry cane slapper (a pivotable striker) technology with nylon rods. The breakthrough in his newer machines was inspiration enough that Littau Harvester became incorporated. Now with several years of experience he proceeded to fabricate the newer harvesters to yield a much longer life in the field. In 1977, Gene Littau moved his operation to a newly built shop in Stayton. Here the batch production process began. In that same year he built twenty-five machines, including the first export to Canada. In the years to follow, many innovations were made to improve efficiency in the field. Some of them include a fluid bed cleaner that blew air through the berries as they came through the machine separating all excess dirt and leaves, the first overrow prototype, an advanced electronic auto steering unit, and the Lexan polycarbonate catcher plate.

7 Worldwide Production of Blackberries -Bernadine Strik, Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University- In 2005, I was invited to make a presentation on worldwide blackberry production at the International Society for Horticultural Science Rubus Symposium, held in Chile in December, I conducted a survey with the help of my colleagues. No industry funding, was solicited for this work/paper. However, I felt it would be of interest to the blackberry industry in the Pacific Northwest and thus am providing a summary. Please see the full paper available at: oregon-berries.com A brief summary: Worldwide blackberry area increased from 34,490 acres in 1995 to 49,507 acres in 2005, a 44% increase. Most of growth in the last ten years occurred in Mexico, the USA, China, and Costa Rica. Projections for the greatest growth in the next ten years are in Romania, Poland, Mexico, Chile, Hungary, China, and the USA. Based on this survey, there may be 66,797 acres of commercial blackberries worldwide, not including production from harvested wild plants, in Wild blackberries still make a significant contribution to worldwide production and although accurate data are hard to obtain, survey respondents estimated that 19,770 acres of wild blackberries were harvested in 2005 with a total reported production of 14,837 tons. Worldwide blackberry production was 154,603 tons in 2005, not including wild production. There were 6,246 acres of organic blackberry production reported in the world in 2005: 3,830 acres in Costa Rica, 2,206 acres in South America (most in Ecuador), 180 acres in North America (most in the USA), and 27 acres in Europe. Use of tunnel production was reported on 778 acres worldwide with tunnels mostly being used to protect against adverse weather. Tunnels or greenhouses to advance or delay the fruiting season in addition to protection against the elements were used in Europe and South Africa. USDA Red Raspberry Puree Sale Pending The Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission (ORBC) and the Washington Red Raspberry Commission (WRRC) have joined together to request that the U.S. Department of Agriculture consider the purchase of 1.5 million pounds of red raspberry puree from the 2005 crop. School lunch and breakfast programs and other domestic feeding programs will use the puree. A processor survey was conducted by the ORBC and the WRRC in order to determine the current puree surplus. Based on that survey, as well as current production and cold storage information, a proposal was submitted to the USDA. The proposal would offer puree in 6-pound pails for distribution directly to schools or 28-pound tubs or barrels for use by commodity processors. The proposal stressed the well-known health benefits of red raspberries including their importance in the diet of young children. The ORBC currently offers a packet of recipes for school foodservice programs and maintains a toll free number for schools to contact the ORBC offices regarding the use of berries in the USDA program. Representatives of the ORBC and the WRRC will travel to Washington, D.C. in April to meet with USDA officials and discuss the possible sale. If the sale is approved it will take place at harvest time this year. Raspberry & Blackberry News Fifty percent of the cultivars grown worldwide were semierect, 25% erect, and 25% trailing types in Thornfree, Loch Ness, and Chester Thornless accounted for 58% of the semi-erect blackberry area and Dirksen Thornless, Hull Thornless, and Smoothstem for 28%. Brazos was by far the most common erect blackberry grown worldwide accounting for 46% of the erect area. Marion is the most important trailing blackberry grown accounting for 51% of the worldwide area of trailing types; more than 90% of the worldwide Marion area is located in Oregon. Boysen accounted for 24%, Thornless Evergreen 9%, and Silvan 5% of the worldwide area of trailing blackberry. NWREC, Caneberry Open House -by Bernadine Strik, Oregon State University- The Caneberry Open House at the NWREC, Aurora, Oregon, will be on Thursday, June 29, The open house will start at 2:00 pm with some brief presentations of research projects. This will be followed by a tour through the breeding plots and refreshments. For more information contact

8 Raspberry & Blackberry News 8 The Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission (ORBC) worked together this fall, with Sedexho School Services to participate in the Produce of the Month program. The objective of the program is to educate students and their parents about the many health benefits of eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, through a monthly series of communication tools and cafeteria promotion. The program targets elementary students and families as well as school faculty, staff, guests, and the community at large. Each month, Sodexho School Services general managers will be instructed to highlight the featured Produce of the Month in their elementary cafeterias by displaying the appropriate Mini Poster and distributing the corresponding Student Activity Guide and Parent Information Brochure to all students participating in the school lunch program. The general managers will also be provided with additional promotion activities they can conduct throughout the Produce of the Month Program -by Cat McKenzie, Berry Works, Inc.- month, as well as menu recommendations that have the featured Produce of the Month as an ingredient. This program is an extremely affordable way for the ORBC s message on the health benefits of raspberries and blackberries to reach over 2.4 million children and adults. The program utilized graphics, information and recipes provided by the ORBC marketing department and the ORBC website address and contact information is featured on all promotional materials. The one time sponsorship fee of $1,500 helped to cover the costs of the program composition, design and distribution. Oregon berries were featured in October 2005 with special emphasis on using frozen berries and showing that the health benefits of frozen berries are just the same as fresh. Tips on using frozen berries, recipes and special hints on using the microwave to defrost berries figure prominently in handouts. Activity sheets featuring games and puzzles will help children understand the importance of making berries a part of a healthy diet ORBC Proposed Research Budget 1. Genetic Fingerprints for Oregon Blackberries and DNA Extraction from Juice $6, Irrigation Management Practices for Better Root and Fruit Rot Control in Red Raspberry $6, Caneberry Pesticide Registration and Tracking $8, Evaluation of Selected Fungicides for Control of Cane Blight in Red Raspberries $7, Evaluation of Rimsulfuron (Matrix) as a New Herbicide for Use in Caneberries $8, Suppression of Carcinogenesis by Consumption of Raspberries and Blackberries Through Activation of the Immune Response $10, Development of New Raspberry Cultivars for the Pacific Northwest $1, Expansion of a Weekly Newsletter for Small Fruit Growers and Related Industry Personnel $1, Assessing the Contribution of Biological Control for Leafroller Management Programs in Caneberries $7, Cooperative Breeding Program $16, Development of Sex Attractant for Control and/or Monitoring of the Raspberry Crown Borer, Pennisetia Marginata (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) $2, Evaluation of Processing Quality of Advanced Caneberry Breeding Selections $2, Dry Cell Survey and Lab Analysis Peerbolt Crop Management $6,550

9 OREGON RASPBERRY & BLACKBERRY COMMISSION ACTUAL APPROVED ESTIMATED PROPOSED BUDGET BUDGET EXPENSES BUDGET Raspberry & Blackberry News SUMMARY OF REVENUES Assessments $451, $424,200 $497,000 $483,480 Interest income 2, ,500 3,000 3,000 Other Income ,648 0 Grant Income TOTAL REVENUE 454, , , ,480 Carryover/Begin. Cash Balance 173, , , ,000 Available for Fiscal Year 628, , , ,480 Expenditures 628, , , ,480 Ending Cash Balance $0.00 $0 $0 $0 SUMMARY OF EXPENDITURES Materials & Services $82, $92,350 $95,500 $95,785 Special Payments 276, , , ,295 Capital Outlay Emergency Fund 262, , , ,400 ODA Oversight 6, ,500 7,598 8,000 Total Budget $628, $680,700 $787,148 $866,480 MATERIALS & SERVICES Materials & Supplies $6, $8,000 $8,000 $8,000 Communications 5, ,500 5,500 5,500 Travel & Admin. Travel 1, ,500 4,000 4,000 Meals & lodging 4, ,500 6,000 6,000 Freight & postage 4, ,000 6,000 6,500 Insurance & Bonds , Auditing fees ,000 3,000 0 Auditing fund Legal fees 1, ,000 2,000 3,000 Other Purchased Services , ,000 Administrative Services 57, ,500 59,500 61,285 Total Materials & Services $82, $92,350 $95,500 $95,785 SPECIAL PAYMENTS Promotion $201, $233,850 $213,681 $261,835 Newsletter/World Stats Research 50, ,000 72, ,460 Education 5, ,500 2,200 6,500 Legislative Education 19, ,500 15,600 20,500 Assessment Refund Total Special Payments $276, $332,850 $303,668 $391,295 CAPITAL OUTLAY $0.00 $0 $0 $0 ODA MGMT. FEE $6, $6,500 $7,598 $8,000 EMERGENCY FUND $262, $249,000 $380,383 $371,400 GRAND TOTAL BUDGETED $628, $680,700 $787,148 $866,480 9

10 Commissioner List Raspberry & Blackberry News Chairman Dave Dunn Vice-chairman Pieper Sweeney Pieper Sweeney 860 Ferry St., Dayton, OR Jerry Stratton SE Bear Creek Road, Boring, OR Leonard Heidt Otter Lane NE, Mt. Angel, OR Wayne Bochsler Monitor Mckee Rd NE, Mt. Angel, OR Willard Kreder PO Box 732, Jefferson, OR Dave Dunn nd Ave NE, Salem, OR George Crispin PO Box 6109, Salem, OR Don Sturm PO Box 245, Corbett, OR Phil Lavine Public Member Chemeketa Community College 4000 Lancaster Drive NE, Salem, OR Committee List 10 Budget Committee Dave Dunn, Chair George Crispin Leonard Heidt Wayne Bochsler Legislative/Labor/Education Committee Willard Kreder, Chair George Crispin Pieper Sweeney Phil LaVine Marionberry Regional Name Protection Ad Hoc Leonard Heidt, Chair Dave Dunn George Crispin Wayne Bochsler Rufus LaLone ex officio Promotion Committee George Crispin, Chair Pieper Sweeney Phil LaVine Dave Dunn Leonard Heidt Research Committee Wayne Bochsler, Chair Jerry Stratton Willard Kreder Tom Peerbolt Research Coord./ex officio Rufus LaLone ex officio Matching Grant Ad Hoc Committee Leonard Heidt, Chair Phil LaVine Wayne Bochsler Willard Kreder Mark Anderson - ex officio

11 Strawberry New s Why is California agriculture still using methyl bromide? -Reprinted with permission from the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Vol. 18 No. 1 Winter-- Methyl Bromide (MeBr) has been used as a fumigant to control arthropods, weeds, and diseases in diverse but specific sectors of agriculture for decades, and is very effective in this job. Unfortunately, MeBr is risky to farm workers, seems associated with prostate cancer and other illnesses, and depletes the stratospheric ozone layer. In the interests of full disclosure, I should mention that I lived under or neat the Antarctic ozone hole in South Australia for eight years, so I have something of a particular interest in this. The amount of MeBr produced, imported, and used in the U.S. was supposed to be phased out on January 1, 2005, following the Montreal Protocol. However, there was a loophole for critical uses in which there are no alternatives available that are technically and economically feasible. For 2005, the Parties to the Protocol authorized 37 percent of the U.S baseline for a critical use exemption. For 2007, the U.S. requested 29 percent of baseline, including exemptions for 15 crops or uses, such as tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, cucurbits, orchard replants, and post-harvest uses, much of this in Florida but also about half in California. The USDA has a grant program, Methyl Bromide Transitions, to develop suitable alternatives to methyl bromide, currently funded at about $3 million per year. The program targets short- to medium-term solutions on a commercial or field scale. While this is aimed at more rapid replacement of MeBr, in practice this means there is a significant emphasis on alternative fumigants rather than more sustainable solutions. One potential alternative, methyl iodide, is moving through the registration process at US-EPA. Methyl iodide does not seem to be an ozone depleter, but still carries a number of health risks. Notice of Public Hearing Oregon Strawberry Commission Proposed Budget The Proposed Budget is Published on Page 15 As required by ORS , the Oregon Strawberry Commission (OSC) will hold a public meeting for the purpose of receiving comments on the Commission s proposed budget for the next fiscal year. DATE: Tuesday, May 9, 2006 TIME: 5:30 p.m. PLACE: Roth s West 1130 Wallace Road NW Salem, OR Copies of the proposed budget are available at the commission office, 4845 B SW Dresden Ave., Corvallis, OR 97333, and on-line at The meeting location is accessible to persons with disabilities. A request for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or for other accommodations for person with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours before the meeting to , TTY More than two years ago, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Vice President W.R. Reg Gomes wrote to the USDA about this concern. Noting that other fumigants contribute both to air pollution (as volatile organic compounds that add to ozone) and the majority of reported human illnesses from agricultural pesticide accidents across California over the last few years, Gomes noted that replacement of methyl bromide with other fumigants will simply trade one problem for another. Gomes urged that the USDA grant - Continued on Page 12-11

12 China a rising competitor in processed strawberry market -Reprinted with permission from The Fruit Growers News March Why is California agriculture still using methyl bromide? - Continued from Page 11 - program be changed to encourage innovative alternatives to methyl bromide and other fumigants. Strawberry News The market for U.S-produced fresh strawberries will continue its 25-year growth streak as improvements in product quality, packaging and availability continue to stimulate consumer demand. China, however, is increasingly dominating traditional U.S. export markets for processed strawberries and with projected annual growth of 10 percent to 15 percent over the next five years is poised to overtake the United States as the world s leading strawberry producer. That s the situation in a nutshell, according to a new report from Rabobank s North American Food and Agribusiness Research group. Driving the growth of the U.S. fresh strawberry market are better varieties that have improved shelf life, better post-harvest handling techniques and packaging that enhances quality and appeals to consumers. Fresh strawberries are now the most consumed berries in the country, at 6.8 pounds per person in Perhaps even worse, at that time the USDA program allowed grants to develop impact data that can be used to support Critical Use Exemptions for methyl bromide on specific crops. That ambiguity, at least, has been dropped from the USDA program, but the emphasis is still on short- to mediumterm solutions, although some non-fumigant work and even non-chemical work is being supported, including among UC researchers. The replacement of fumigants in agriculture is a huge job, but every small step will help. Consumers can help by being willing to pay extra for foods and flowers produced without fumigation and thereby provide incentives for fumigant-free agriculture. UC SAREP will soon be issuing a call for proposals for research and extension on alternatives to methyl bromide and fumigation. We hope that we can help to bring more of the resources of the UC to bear on this problem. Rick Roush, interim director, University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program. Expanded year-round availability also is a key factor fueling growth. Thanks to California s long growing season as well as winter production in Florida and Mexico, fresh strawberries are now a consistent presence on US produce shelves. In fact, strawberry acreage in California, which produces more than 85 percent of the U.S crop, has grown 30 percent since 2001, driving local land values up to more than $65,000 per acre. The fresh market will Continue to be a source of profit for U.S. growers who leverage competitive advantages in technology distribution and climate to deliver even higher quality product to retailers year round, said Chris Noble, fresh produce analyst with Rabobank s Food and Agribusiness Research group. NWREC, Strawberry Open House -by Bernadine Strik, OSU- 12 Canada and Mexico are also increasingly important export markets for U.S. fresh product as consumers in those countries acquire a taste for year-round strawberries Even those states with more locallybased production such as New York and Pennsylva- - Continued on Page 13 - The Strawberry Open House at the NWREC, Aurora, Oregon will be on Wednesday, June 14, The open house will start at 1:00 pm with some brief presentations. This will be followed by a tour through the breeding plots and refreshments. For more information contact

13 Strawberry News China is rising competitor in processed strawberry market - Continued from Page 12 - nia, can look forward to maintaining profitable niches with seasonal production of flavorful fresh varieties. Although the United States is currently the world s leading strawberry producer, followed by Spain and Poland, the emergence of low-cost competitors such as Argentina, Chile, Morocco and particularly China is challenging traditional ownership of the global market for processed strawberries. Because the low quality of its strawberry production makes it largely unsuitable for fresh export, China is developing its processing segment and targeting lucrative foreign markets such as Japan. China has increased its share of the Japanese frozen strawberry import market from about 38 percent to more than 60 percent since 2000, while U.S. share of the same market has declined from about 41 percent to 20 percent. Low pricing has been the determining factor helping China rapidly take over export markets traditionally owned by U.S. processors. The price Japan pays for U.S. frozen product is roughly double what it pays for Chinese product, but there also is a sizeable difference in quality. China has even tapped the U.S. market, nearly tripling exports of frozen strawberries there between 2004 and China looms as a major threat to U.S. frozen strawberry production, Noble said. As the quality of China s frozen strawberries improves and its cost structure remains low, both U.S. and foreign companies will import greater amounts of Chinese product. U.S. frozen processors will have two choices to remain competitive: Focus on supplying high-end users who need high-quality product, or begin to source frozen strawberries from China for sale to existing customers, much as U.S. apple juice producers have done in recent years OSC Proposed Research Budget 1. Strawberry Pesticide Registration and Tracking $6, Evaluation of New Herbicides for Strawberries $16, Development of New Strawberry Cultivars for the Pacific Northwest $2, Expansion of a Weekly IPM Newsletter for Small Fruit Growers and Related Industry Personnel $1, Cooperative Breeding Program - Strawberries $8, Evaluation of Processing Quality of Advanced Strawberry Breeding Selections $2,500 13

14 Commissioner List Chairman Michael Christensen Vice-Chairman Ken Kraemer Secretary/Treasurer Arne Goddik Strawberry News Michael Christensen Hwy 226 SE, Albany, OR Ken Kraemer Dominic Road, Mt. Angel, OR Arne Goddik SE Neck Road, Dayton, OR Dave Ralls Parrish Gap, Turner, OR Elizabeth Howley Clackamas Community College Clairmont Hall S. Mollala Ave, Oregon City, OR ext Committee List BUDGET Michael Christensen, Chair Ken Kraemer Arne Goddik Vacant RESEARCH Arne Goddik, Chair Dave Ralls Randy Pavlinac Tom Peerbolt, Ex-Offico LEGISLATIVE Ken Kraemer, Chair Vacant Michael Christensen EDUCATION/PROMOTION Vacant, Chair Ken Kraemer Michael Christensen Dave Ralls Elizabeth Howley 14

15 Strawberry News OREGON STRAWBERRY COMMISSION ACTUAL APPROVED ESTIMATED PROPOSED BUDGET BUDGET BUDGET BUDGET SUMMARY OF REVENUES Assessments $98, $103,500 $110,353 $100,000 Interest income , ,500 Other Income Grant Income TOTAL REVENUE 98, , , ,500 Carryover/Begin. Cash Balance 111, ,000 85,188 52,000 Available for Expenditure 210, , , ,500 Expenditures 210, , , ,500 Balance Carried Forward $0.00 $0 $0 $0 SUMMARY OF EXPENDITURES Materials & Services $45, $50,400 $52,950 $50,970 Special Payments $77, $85,627 $84,182 $53,500 Capital Outlay $0.00 $0 $0 $0 Emergency Fund $85, $45,473 $55,961 $45,930 ODA Oversight $2, $3,000 $3,084 $3,100 Total Budget $210, $184,500 $196,177 $153,500 MATERIALS & SERVICES Materials & Supplies $3, $4,000 $4,000 $4,000 Communications 2, ,500 2,500 2,500 Travel (in state) Travel (out of state) 4, ,000 5,000 4,000 Meals & lodging 3, ,500 2,500 3,000 Freight & postage 1, ,500 2,500 2,750 Insurance & Bonds Auditing fees ,500 2,500 0 Legal fees ,000 1,500 1,500 Other Purchased Services Administrative Services 30, ,000 31,000 31,620 Total Materials & Services $45, $50,400 $52,950 $50,970 SPECIAL PAYMENTS Promotion $15, $30,000 $28,300 $10,000 Research $61, $55,127 $55,382 $40,000 Legislative/Education $0.00 $500 $500 $3,500 Assessment Refund $0.00 $0 $0 $0 Total Special Payments $77, $85,627 $84,182 $53,500 CAPITAL OUTLAY $0.00 $0 $0 $0 ODA MGMT. FEE $2, $3,000 $3,084 $3,100 EMERGENCY FUND $85, $45,473 $55,961 $45,930 GRAND TOTAL BUDGETED $210, $184,500 $196,177 $153,500 15

16 Berry Commissions News Pacific Northwest Administration 4845 B SW Dresden Avenue Corvallis, OR 97333