A graduation ceremony for the second class of fellows in the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council’s (USHBC) Blueberry Industry Leadership Program took place in late September at The Blueberry Summit in Denver. The fellows also presented their capstone project, a vast library of resources for blueberry growers, at the event. 

The leadership program, the first of its kind in the blueberry industry, helps up-and-coming leaders in the blueberry industry grow their leadership skill set, learn from decades-long industry leaders and develop their network of connections. The in-depth, hands-on training features immersive learning experiences, engagement with key industry players and exposure to the many components of the produce supply chain. 

Class No. 2 graduates are: 

• Cecilia Allende, Sunny Valley International

• Chad Don, Oasis Farms Inc. 

• Joseph Klick, Naturipe Farms

• Ben Lahr, Driscoll’s

• Kolby Lewis, Blue Raeven Farms

• Katiuska Morales, Camposol S.A. 

• Sarah Quackenbush, North Bay Produce Inc. 

• Ranjeet Randhawa, Ph.D., Fall Creek

• Kyle Straughn, Straughn Farms

• Joel Whitehead, Wish Farms

"It's been a pleasure to watch this talented and curious group expand their experiences, make new connections and develop as blueberry industry leaders over the past two years,” said Amanda Griffin, vice president of engagement and education for USHBC and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC). “We can’t wait to see the many ways these passionate ag professionals will help guide the blueberry industry into a bright future.”

Class No. 2’s capstone project, a grower resources page now live on the USHBC website, provides growers with a one-stop-shop for information on federal and state programs on topics like farm loans, disaster assistance, risk management, sustainable agriculture, food safety and more. This resource library will help growers reduce the time they would otherwise have to spend searching out this information on their own. It also helps highlight and emphasize the importance of these efforts as an industry by providing a consistent set of resources everyone can refer to.

Fellows in the Blueberry Industry Leadership Program’s third class, whose training is already underway, were also introduced at the summit. 

Class No. 3 fellows are:    

• Yvan Berrospi, Family Tree Farms

• Gabriel Bocock, Bumbleberry Acres

• Joshua Carlton, JLC Farms

• Sergio Carrasco, The Fruitist Company

• Jake Johnson, Fall Creek 

• Stephanie Kleiner, Driscoll’s

• Peter Machala, Wakefern Food Corp.

• Brody Schropp, MBG Marketing

• Zach Semerikov, Scenic Fruit

• Jessica Silver, United Exports Sales and Marketing

The fourth group of fellows to enter the program will be selected in the fall of 2025. 

Established in 2000, The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) is a federal agriculture research and promotion program with independent oversight from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). USHBC represents blueberry growers and packers in North and South America who market their blueberries in the United States and overseas, and works to promote the growth and well-being of the entire blueberry industry. USHBC was established by blueberry growers and currently has 2,500 growers, packers and importers. USHBC is committed to providing blueberries that are grown, harvested, packed and shipped in clean, safe environments.