BC Blueberries Virtual Field Day and AGM - Day One and Two
Day One
Market Outlook Session
Defining Market Demand for Blueberries, by Cort Brazelton (Co-CEO, Fall Creek Farm and Nursery)
Joining us from Fall Creek Farm and Nursery in Oregon, Washington, Cort Brazelton provides us with an analysis of the global blueberry market and answers industry questions about breaking ground in the export landscape. Take a look below!
Asian Market Opportunities for BC Blueberries, by Arthur Hagopian (Senior Director, Global Strategy/Digital, SPRG Beijing)
Arthur Hagopian, who works to support BC Blueberries in China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam, presents an overview of the Asian market for BC Blueberries and delves into the exciting opportunities available for our sector.
Labour Update Session
Labour Resources for Producers, by Shannon Tucker (Labour Lead, BC Ministry of Agriculture)
Shannon Tucker offers a breakdown of the various resources available to blueberry growers from the BC Ministry of Agriculture, particularly to address the issues of labour shortage and temporary foreign worker management.
Labour Market Information for BC’s Horticultural Industry by Ann Walsh (Consultant, Sector Labour Market Partnership Projects, Solstice Consulting/BC Landscape and Nursery Association)
Click below to hear from Ann Walsh, who provides information on the collaborative initiatives launched through the Sector Labour Market Partnership Projects and the opportunity for BC blueberry producers to get involved. View the video below!
Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program Update for 2021, by Veronica Moreno (Program Manager, Western Agriculture Labour Initiative)
Veronica Moreno touches on a very relevant topic this season, presenting the newest regulations for seasonal agricultural workers in 2021. Hear about the latest updates below.
Introduction to Digital Payroll Service for Seasonal Agricultural Workers, by Jaspal Brar and Rene Blanco (Co-Founders of LABORA)
LABORA helps farm owners securely and efficiently pay their seasonal agricultural workers and benefit from the streamlined money transfer process from Canada to Mexico. Further simplifying the administrative process, LABORA assists workers by filing their tax returns and provides online services to farm owners and workers to keep their information secured up to date at no cost.
Check out their presentation here.
Harvest Technologies Session
Performance of Harvy200 as a Blueberry Harvest-Aid, by Dean Maerz (Operations Manager, Klaassen Farms) and Alec Biln (Field Operations, Silver Valley Farms)
Dean Maerz leads a conversation on the newest advancements in harvest technology, showcasing the Harvy200 and Harvy500 harvesters. Alec Biln from Silver Valley Farms offers his experience with the Harvy200 from the grower’s perspective. See the video below!
Advances in Harvester Technologies to Improve Fresh Quality, by Dr. Lisa DeVetter (Associate Professor, Washington State University)
Dr. Lisa DeVetter expands further on modern field harvesting tools and research studies in this area concerning fresh fruit quality. Learn more below!
Fruit Quality Session
Advances in Post-Harvest Technologies for Fresh Quality, by Dr. Anubhav Singh (Assistant Professor, University of British Columbia) and Ronit Mandal (Ph.D. Candidate).
Ronit Mandal evaluates the results of blueberry research from the lab of Dr. Anubhav Singh from the University of British Columbia. Explore below the various elements that go into maintaining fruit quality, from production, to packaging, to storage.
Biochemical Basis of Fruit Quality and New Genetic Benchmarks, by Dr. Simone Castellarin (Associate Professor, University of British Columbia), Yifan Yan (Ph.D. Candidate) and Dr. Joana Pico Carbajo (Post-Doctoral Researcher)
Dr. Joana Pico Carbajo and Yifan Yan, with the support of the lab of Dr. Simone Castellarin at the University of British Columbia, further describe the factors that affect fruit quality, including size, texture, flavour, aroma, and more. Have a look!
Integrating Advances in Fruit Quality into BC’s Next Generation of Blueberry Cultivars, by the BCBC’s Berry Breeder, Dr. Michael Dossett, and Research Director, Dr. Eric Gerbrandt
The Council’s own Dr. Eric Gerbrandt and Dr. Michael Dossett present the highlights of ongoing research into fruit quality through the BC Blueberries Research and Breeding program.
BC Blueberries Virtual Field Day and AGM - Day Two
BC Blueberries Domestic Promotions Update, by James Caron (Spring Advertising), Tara Clark (Social T), Leeann Froese (Town Hall Brands), Heather Carter (Digital Punch), Karen Hallam (Hallamedia)
The BC Blueberry Council works with a broad-based team of media professionals who help us to create and implement innovative promotions strategies. Please go through the Domestic Promotions Update presentation here to learn about our promotional successes in the year 2020.
BC Blueberries Research and Breeding Program Update, by BCBC’s Berry Breeder, Dr. Michael Dossett, and Research Director, Dr. Eric Gerbrandt
We are proud to have on our team Dr. Eric Gerbrandt and Dr. Michael Dossett, who presented an update on the BC Blueberries Research and Breeding Program during Day Two of our Virtual Field Day. See the video below!