Blues Update December 2025

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Topics in this issue of Blues Update:

From the Chair: Wishing You Holiday Joy

By Teddy Koukoulis

NABC Chair

As 2025 winds down, I want to express my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to each and every one of you for your incredible support of the NABC this year. 

Your commitment to our mission has been instrumental in driving the continued growth and success of the council, and your dedication and engagement translate directly into tangible impacts for NABC. 

I’m wishing you a joyful holiday season filled with peace, rest and connection. May you enjoy this precious time with those you hold dear, and may the new year bring you prosperity, health and continued success.

NABC Expands Health and Nutrition Efforts

Thank You MOU Contributors!

At the 2025 Blueberry Convention last October, the United Blueberry Advisory Committee (UBAC), also known as the “MOU group,” took a decisive step to strengthen the industry’s voice in health and nutrition policy.  

The UBAC – composed of importers who voluntarily double their USHBC assessment to support increased promotions and marketing, improved data and insights, and industry advocacy – voted unanimously to allocate significant additional resources to NABC’s government affairs program, with a targeted emphasis on health and nutrition policy. 

This investment will enable NABC to translate years of rigorous nutrition research supported by the USHBC into policy outcomes that directly drive blueberry consumption. 

Growing national attention on health, particularly through the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, creates a timely opportunity for the blueberry industry. With additional resources in place, NABC will work to position blueberries as part of the solution to the nutrition challenges policymakers are focused on today.

Our goals are to secure a clear distinction for berries in the 2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, increase government procurement of blueberries across federal nutrition programs, and advance nutrition policies, such as Food Is Medicine, that encourage greater blueberry consumption.

At its core, the industry’s health and nutrition affairs work is about driving demand by reinforcing blueberries’ role in a healthy daily diet. Turning that science into policy impact requires strategic advocacy and public affairs to influence decision-makers. By combining traditional government affairs with a broader public affairs approach, we will leverage growing political interest in health to achieve these goals while protecting the blueberry “health halo.”

With UBAC’s added support, NABC is well positioned to elevate blueberries in key policy conversations, engage new health and nutrition champions within the administration and Congress, and ensure blueberries are included in the programs and guidance that shape how Americans eat. By aligning strong science with smart advocacy and leveraging the momentum of MAHA, we’re taking meaningful steps to grow blueberry consumption for years to come.

NABC Member Brandon Raso Addresses Ag Labor Crisis in ‘Grow it Here’ Campaign

New Report Shows U.S. Agricultural Labor Crisis Driving Higher Grocery Prices for American Families

A new campaign called “Grow it Here” is working to bring a voice of reason to the policy debate around American agricultural competitiveness by elevating on-the-ground expertise from growers and farm economy experts. New Jersey blueberry grower Brandon Raso, a member of the NABC Government Affairs Committee, is one of four grower spokespeople participating in the campaign.

A new Grow It Here report, released this month, finds that the worsening agricultural labor crisis is directly increasing production costs and contributing to higher prices at grocery stores nationwide, placing additional strain on American families. 

The report, Analysis of the Effects of Reduced Domestic Farm Employment on Food Prices, presents new data showing how persistent labor shortages – driven by limited domestic labor supply and growing labor needs across specialty crop and livestock sectors – are raising costs throughout the supply chain. These pressures are pushing some growers to scale back production, leave crops unharvested or shut down operations altogether, further affecting consumer food prices.

Among the report’s key findings is that a 10% decline in domestic farm employment would increase consumer prices for labor-intensive crops, raising the American food bill by an estimated $3.4 billion over the course of a year.

At a press conference announcing the new report, Raso shared his experience from last season, when he was forced to leave 2.5 million pounds of blueberries unharvested, resulting in an estimated loss of $5 million due to labor shortages. Of the 120 workers he requested through the H-2A program, only 40 were approved. 

“We have seen a huge exodus of multigenerational farms in our area,” Raso said. “In the past two years alone, three farmers have closed their doors because they could not get workers to harvest their crops.”  

He also underscored the long-term implications for the industry. “We make substantial investments in replanting fields, and it takes eight to nine years to realize a return on a new blueberry planting. Growers are left at a fork in the road – do we keep farming? There’s not a lot of younger family members wanting to get into the business given the uncertainty around return on investment. This is a crisis that we need to solve.  We need policymakers to sit down and come up with a solution that fits everyone’s needs.”

Raso noted that this trend is playing out nationwide. “A lot of growers across the country are downsizing and the sad reality is that we are seeing a decline in the American farmer. Technology has helped, but at the end of the day, we need people. If you have a T-shirt factory, and no one shows up to make the T-shirts, how many T-shirts do you have? None.”

The Grow it Here campaign is a key part of a comprehensive legal and advocacy strategy focused on advancing practical solutions to the agriculture labor crisis. Through listening sessions and fact-finding efforts with farmers across the country, the campaign aims to inform Congress and the administration, and drive policies that strengthen the U.S. farm economy.

USDA NRCS Announces New Regenerative Ag Pilot Program

This month, the National Resources Conservation Service (NCRS) launched the Regenerative Pilot Program, a farmer-first, outcomes-based approach to conservation designed to return the agency to its core mission – helping people help the land. NRCS is investing $700 million to support regenerative agriculture, including $400 million through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and $300 million through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).

The pilot program addresses whole-farm resource concerns through support for voluntary regenerative agriculture conservation plans.

For producers, this means:

  • Bundled practices will be integrated into a single application, making programs easier to access and more impactful.
  • Whole-farm holistic conservation planning is the centerpiece of the program, ensuring that all resource concerns (soil, water and natural vitality) are addressed together, not piecemeal. 
  • Conservation planning and producer objectives drive the process, ensuring site-specific solutions that work for the producer.
  • Outcomes are tracked, measured and credited back to the farmer.
  • Producers at every stage, from beginners just starting out with cover crops to advanced operations with years of conservation experience, will find a pathway through this pilot program.

As part of participating in Regenerative Pilot Program, producers must:

  • Work with NRCS staff, partners, or technical service providers to conduct a whole-farm assessment.
  • Use at least one primary regenerative management practice (see list below).
  • Agree to perform soil health testing in the first and last year of the contract (at a minimum) to establish a starting baseline and to record the resulting changes.

Primary practices include:

  • Conservation Crop Rotation (328)
  • Contour Farming (330)
  • Contour Orchard and Other Perennial Crop (331)
  • Cover Crop (340)
  • Drainage Water Management (554)
  • Forage Harvest Management (511)
  • Forest Stand Improvement (666)
  • Irrigation Water Management (449)
  • Mulching (484)
  • Nutrient Management (590)
  • Pest Management Conservation System (595)
  • Prescribed Grazing (528)
  • Residue and Tillage Management, No Till (329)
  • Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced (345)
  • Stripcropping (585)

Additional information is available in the Regenerative Pilot Program Frequently Asked Questions.

NRCS is also setting up a Chief’s Regenerative Agriculture Advisory Council that gives farmers, consumers and private partners a seat at the table, ensuring NRCS programs remain practical, transparent and responsive to real-world needs. The council will consist of 15 members – nine regenerative farmers representing production systems, three corporate supply-chain or consumer packaged goods (CPG) representatives, and three consumer or Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) representatives. The council will meet quarterly with the chief of NRCS for one year.

How to Apply

Farmers and ranchers interested in regenerative agriculture are encouraged to apply through their local NRCS Service Center by their state’s ranking dates for consideration in fiscal year 2026 funding. Applications for both EQIP and CSP can now be submitted under the new single regenerative application process.

Stay Tuned for More Information

NABC is working to schedule a member webinar in early 2026 with USDA-NRCS to address your questions about this new pilot program. Stay tuned for details!

Apply for the Blueberry Industry Leadership Program by Jan. 1

There’s still time to apply for Class 4 of the Blueberry Industry Leadership Program — a one-of-a-kind experience designed to equip emerging professionals with the skills, connections and perspective to drive our industry forward.

Through this immersive, year-long journey, fellows will:

  • Gain hands-on experience across every link in the blueberry supply chain — from farm to consumer.
  • Build lifelong connections with growers, marketers, exporters, researchers and retailers.
  • Develop personal leadership skills to inspire change and innovation across the industry.

We’re looking for passionate professionals with five or more years of experience in agriculture who are ready to take the next big step in their leadership journey.

Class 4 launches in March 2026 and includes four in-person sessions, a capstone project and graduation at The 2027 Blueberry Convention.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of a growing network of visionaries shaping the future of blueberries. 

Learn more and apply by Jan. 1, 2026.

Know someone who would benefit from this innovative program? Spread the word in your organization and throughout your network. 

Thank you to Fall Creek for sponsoring this vital blueberry industry program! 

Entire Trade 101 Series Now Available for Viewing

Our entire Trade 101 webinar series, including the fourth installment held earlier this month, is now available for viewing. 

Session 4 unpacks how global trade has changed the U.S. blueberry industry, with an eye on the history, legal challenges and current landscape of blueberry imports and exports.

Plus, you can get caught up on the entire series by watching the first, second and third sessions that cover topics like why trade matters to U.S. agriculture; key developments in U.S. trade over the years, with a focus on policy shifts and priorities; and this year’s trade developments, including tariffs and trade agreements.

NABC and USHBC, along with the Ag Trade Education Council (ATEC), are proud to have brought you this education series designed to help growers navigate trade policy and spark conversations about trade’s impact on the blueberry industry. 

Register for The Blueberry Hill Climb at the Early-Bird Rate!

Registration for The 2026 Blueberry Hill Climb and Industry Meetings, March 2-6 at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C., is now open! Save your seat today to take advantage of early-bird registration rates. 

This is your chance to connect with members of Congress and other policymakers about important issues affecting the blueberry industry. After all, hearing from blueberry industry experts like you helps drive home the grower experience – and that can make all the difference in future policy decisions! 

Plus, during our industry meetings, you’ll get up to speed on industry business and committee activities. 

As you prepare to advocate on behalf of the blueberry industry at the hill climb, we’ll provide all the tips and messaging you need to speak about critical topics like Ag workforce and H-2A reform; Farm Bill programs, including improvements to disaster assistance programs and risk management tools; and federal nutrition programs that can drive greater blueberry consumption – all things growers need to remain successful and competitive.

Register by Jan. 23 to save with early-bird pricing! Our new registration system makes signing up a breeze. Plus, book your room within our block at The Watergate Hotel to take advantage of our discounted group rate! Have questions? Reach out to Stacy Plarr at [email protected].