Happy New Year! At The Blueberry News, we like to start the year with optimism and hope.

Thankfully, both are already a mainstay in the agriculture industry.

There’s been some buzz in the blueberry world lately, and this time it’s not coming from the

pollinators. Late last year, UF/IFAS scientists announced that they may have identified the

genes to develop a berry that would be ready for harvest in the fall.

On my farm, we always had a very small amount of berries in the fall, but honestly they tasted awful. I wouldn't use those berries for a family dinner, that's for sure.

A viable fall crop could help Florida growers quite a bit because it would enable growers to

add a second harvest season with the right infrastructure.

It’s certainly a bit of news that is loaded with possibility and, of course, questions. As a blueberry grower for 10 years, I know this could be a positive thing for the hardworking folks in the industry ... “if” it pans out.

I’m sure there will be more information in upcoming editions of The Blueberry News, so stay tuned.