About this episode

Brandon Raso discusses his role as a fourth-generation grower and the future of the blueberry industry.

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist , president of the U.S. Highbush Council ( USHBC ) and the North American Blueberry Council ( NABC ), is joined by Brandon Raso , Variety Farms farm and operations manager, and the recent recipient of the 2026 National Outstanding Young Farmer award. Raso is a fourth-generation grower at Variety Farms in Hammonton, New Jersey, where he manages over 750 acres of production. He also serves on the USHBC Council as treasurer, and is chair of the Finance Committee. Whether he’s advocating for growers in D.C. or implementing the latest mechanical harvesting tech at home, he’s at the forefront of the “next gen” movement. “We obviously have a lot of runway left with reaching higher consumption levels and, so, I just think there's a lot of light at the end of the tunnel on this, and it's something we don't have to fight tooth and nail for. I think as long as we make the right moves and stay conscious about the decisions we're making, I think this thing is naturally going to catapult itself into a new category in terms of consumption, people realizing the benefits and reaching new audiences. It's like we're so fortunate to…

People in this episode

Host: Kasey Cronquist

Guest: Brandon Raso

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, North American Blueberry Council

Places: Hammonton, New Jersey

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