NCCC_temp212: Small Fruit and Viticulture Research
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Submitted As Final
NCCC_temp212: Small Fruit and Viticulture Research
Duration: 10/01/2026 to 09/30/2031
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Small fruits such as grapes, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and cranberries are vital to U.S. agriculture, contributing more than $11.9 billion annually to state and national economies. These crops are produced across diverse regions and farm sizes—from small local growers to large operations serving national and international markets. Coordinated, multi-regional initiatives are therefore essential to address common production challenges, enhance resource efficiency, and accelerate scientific and technological advancements within the small fruit industry.
The NCCC-212 project provides a critical forum for collaboration among small-fruit scientists, breeders, and extension specialists from universities and the USDA. Through annual meetings and cooperative research, members can set up the exchange plant material, share findings, coordinate studies to develop superior cultivars, and improve production systems. In addition there are discussions regarding common stakeholder challenges which helps inform the development of research efforts and outreach to growers.
Key objectives include: (1) develop and evaluate improved germplasm adapted to regional needs; (2) create sustainable and efficient production practices; (3) assess fruit quality traits such as flavor, firmness, and shelf life; and (4) coordinate extension activities to deliver information through field days, grower meetings, publications, and online platforms.
The Committee’s coordinated approach improves the collective ability to serve the small fruit industry by facilitating coordinated and collaborative research and outreach across multiple regions. Furthermore, it reduces research duplication and ensures that new technologies and management practices are tested across multiple environments. This collaboration ultimately strengthens the U.S. small-fruit industry by improving profitability, sustainability, and fruit quality for growers and consumers, while fostering training and cooperation among researchers nationwide.
Statement of Issues and Justification
Nature and significance of issues for which multistate coordination is proposed: Production of small fruits contributes significantly to statewide, regional, and national economies. In total, all berries contributed an average of $11.9 billion/year in terms of sales (USDA NASS, 2024). Growers, which produce these horticulturally important crops are distributed across the nation, range from small-scale growers that contribute to local markets to large operations that provide fruit for national and international fresh and processed markets. Researchers and scientists with extension capacity can be limited in these states, with some states having one-to-no researchers to address small fruit research and outreach needs. Coordinated research projects that address emerging threats and advance new technologies are important to facilitate rapid learning and information sharing to states with varying capacity to conduct research. As such, there is a need for the small fruit community to have a venue that would allow for coordination and collaboration among small fruit researchers. NCCC-212 provided that important venue and this renewal seeks to allow for NCCC-212 to continue coordinating research and outreach efforts. Furthermore, NCCC-212 has provided a valuable network that allowed small fruit researchers to build successful teams for federal granting agencies requiring multi -state, -institutional, and -disciplinary approaches.
How proposed activity addresses national and/or regional priorities: Key priorities for small fruit growers and the associated research community include: A) breeding and releasing superior, adapted cultivars; B) the development of sustainable production techniques for efficient and economic production practices; C) production of fruits for emerging and niche markets; D) horticultural techniques that improve small fruit quality and/or shelf life; and E) identification and management of commodity-specific pests and diseases. Collaboration and coordination provided by NCCC-212 allows small fruit researchers to: (i) share and exchange breeding material in a systematic way that allows for consistent evaluation and meaningful comparison across different production environments; (ii) share findings and techniques regarding new and more efficient productions systems and tools for important cultivars and/or horticultural challenges; and (iii) discuss research plans to avoid duplication and inefficient use of resources. Furthermore, coordination and communication fosters collaboration that allows for multi -state, -institutional, and -disciplinary collaboration to address important and/or emerging threats to sustainable production.
Experiment Stations - Potential Participants: AL, AR, CA, GA, FL, IA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MT, NC, ND, NJ, NY, OR, PA, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI
Stakeholders: Our primary stakeholders are small fruit (including grape) growers.
Fruit Crops (States): Blackberries (AL, AR, CA, GA, NC, OR) ; Blueberries (CA, FL, GA, ME, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OR, WA) ; Cranberries (MA, NJ, OR, WI) ; Elderberries (MO) ; Grapes (AL, CA, NY, OR, TX, WA) ; Honeyberries/haskap (MT, NY) ; Juneberries/Saskatoons (MT, ND, NY) ; Loganberries (OR) ; Raspberries (CA, NY, OR, WA) ; Strawberries (CA, FL, MI, NC, NY, OR, WA)
Objectives
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Develop and evaluate small fruit germplasm through cooperative programs.
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Develop pest and disease management framework and production practices tailored for regional weather and market needs of growers
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Evaluate pre- and postharvest fruit quality components, including flavor, texture/firmness, shelf life, and phytonutrients
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Identify opportunities to collaborate on research projects and the development of extension resources for multistate, regional, national, and/or international audiences
Procedures and Activities
- Objective 1. Develop and evaluate small fruit germplasm for specific needs (such as tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, season extension, organic production, increased storage life, increased flavor, and improved horticultural traits) through cooperative breeding and evaluation programs. Efforts will be fostered by the exchange of germplasm and cooperative studies to evaluate productivity, adaptability, and fruit characteristics of strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, cranberry, grape and other small fruit species.
- Objective 2. Develop new or modified practices for small fruit production. These include off-season production, protected cultivation, plasticulture, improved pruning and training systems, integrated pest management and other innovative systems (such as organic).
- Objective 3. Evaluation of pre- and post-harvest fruit quality components will be accomplished in coordination with completion of Objectives 1 and 2, as these factors can be impacted by genetics and production practices across environments, and are important considerations for farmers’ profitability. Additionally, explore how bioactive compounds in small fruit can be tailored for specific applications, enhanced flavor, etc.
- Objective 4. Time will be dedicated at annual meetings to identify opportunities to collaborate on, and help coordinate, research and extension activities. This includes (i) identifying topics and speakers for statewide, regional and national grower meetings; and (ii) developing print- and web-based publications and decision support tools on topics ranging from cultivar selection to improved management practices.
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- The expected outcome of Objective 1 will be release of new cultivars that result from inter-program germplasm exchange. Comments: Multistate and/or regional germplasm exchange and evaluation is an essential outcome of NCCC-212. Germplasm evaluation across multiple locations provides important information on the adaptability, strengths, and weaknesses of new selections and cultivars, which can hasten the movement of new plant material through the development pipeline and into the hands of both large- and small-scale growers across North America.
- For Objective 2, development of new management practices and technologies are emerging that may be suitable to small fruit production across different production regions. Comments: Technologies or ideas generated from one state project can be tested in other locations where the technology may also have merit, enabling diffusion of innovations to other stakeholders and local adaptation of new technologies, as well as eliminating unnecessary duplication. Many NCCC-212 members also participate in the Small Fruit and Viticulture working group of the American Society for Horticultural Science, and the Southern Small Fruit Workers group, which helps further extend the influence of NCCC-212 activities.
- For Objective 3, research efforts on post-harvest quality will be integrated into efforts on the development of cultivars and management practices. Comments: As research related to Objectives 1 and 2 progress, questions arise as to how these developments influence post-harvest quality.
- For Objective 4, common industry, and/or outreach concerns will be identified. Comments: Teams will be formed to create solutions-oriented research and outreach projects to address these concerns that maximize the efficient use of resources while minimizing duplication. Outputs will be multistate extension products (e.g., fact sheets, production guides, grower conferences) that will more efficiently deliver new research findings to the end users.
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
Most NCCC-212 members have an extension appointment, ensuring research results are disseminated via established university extension channels, or other outreach platforms. National venues where NCCC-212 members share research information with the small fruit industry include (but are not limited to) annual meetings/conferences of the North American Blueberry Council, U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, North American Raspberry and Blackberry Association, North American Strawberry Growers Association, Southern Small Fruits Research Consortium, and Northwest Center for Small Fruit Research. Information is also shared at regional and statewide venues, such as the Great Lakes Fruit and Vegetable Expo, Washington Small Fruit Conference, Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference, Mid Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Show, and multiple state and local grower meetings. Information pertaining to our objectives is also shared by NCCC-212 scientists at field days, through academic program and collaborative project websites, publication of newsletter articles, and both print and online fact sheets and production guides. New information may also be utilized in undergraduate and graduate courses for training the next generation of small fruit growers, researchers, and other industry members.
Organization/Governance
Standard governance with annual nominations and election of the chair-elect (and annual meeting venue host) through a simple majority.
Literature Cited
USDA NASS. Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts 2024 Summary. May 2025. ISSN: 1948-2698 Available at:
https://esmis.nal.usda.gov/sites/default/release-files/zs25x846c/mc87rn20c/w37656321/ncit0525.pdf