IBO participates in the annual Blueberry Hill Climb event in the US

The annual blueberry summit was held in Washington, D.C., at the end of March. A delegation of 88 blueberry industry members and staff from the North American Blueberry Council (NABC) held various meetings as part of this important event.

According to NABC, the group visited 35 offices on Capitol Hill and held 16 member-level meetings. They met with staff from each of the USDA’s mission areas; presented Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL) with the Blueberry Pinnacle Award; and hosted the popular Blueberry, Whiteberry, and Cranberry Reception in the House Agriculture Committee Room.

During their meetings last week, the delegation advocated for policies that foster the competitiveness of U.S. blueberry growers, such as the Farm Bill, reforming the H-2A program, and improving access to key foreign markets.

“From disaster relief and crop insurance to trade, research, and agricultural workforce reform, these conversations are crucial to ensuring that policies and programs continue to support the long-term success of U.S. blueberry growers,” said Alyssa Houtby, NABC director of government affairs.

Presentation by Mario Steta, IBO President

During this event, Mario Steta, IBO President, had the opportunity to give a presentation on the importance of partnerships in the industry, the role the IBO plays in uniting different stakeholders around the world, and providing key information on market and consumer trends that allow the sector to continue growing and strengthening.

“While one might think that, given the national context in the U.S., the approach would have been entirely inward-looking, the NABC and USHBC members showed a deep and sincere interest in understanding what the IBO is and stands for, and how they can collaborate.
It became evident that most of the meeting participants were clearly unfamiliar with the IBO’s background, so much so that many of them were unaware that the NABC was instrumental in its formation, mission, strategies, and activities to this day,” Steta noted.

He added that “personal interactions are essential to understanding common issues and/or differing points of view, and this was precisely the outcome, which should be reflected in the presence of a major American producer at the IBO Summit in South Africa in September.”

IBO