Commercial Berry Crop Producers' Production and Marketing Strategies in Virginia

Producers in Virginia's agriculture sector are searching for alternatives that offer higher returns per acre than traditional commodity production. One possible alternative is the production of berries such as blueberry (Vaccinium spp.), blackberry (Rubus spp.), raspberry (Rubus spp.), and strawberry (Fragaria spp.) that offer a potentially high-value market and can be produced on smaller-scale farms that are characteristic of the state. A mail survey was used to collect data that were analyzed with cluster analysis with respect to farm characteristics, production techniques, marketing strategies, and producers' socioeconomic characteristics. Three types of producers were identified: producers in Cluster 1 are large-scale producers who market the majority of their products through wholesale and retail outlets such as supermarkets, wholesalers, and auctions; producers in Cluster 2 are small-scale, less experienced growers who mostly sell their output directly to consumers, often through farmers' markets; and producers in Cluster 3 are medium-sized, more experienced producers who are also heavily reliant on direct outlets, particularly pick-your-own operations, to sell their products. These characterizations carry implications for extension programming. For example, producers in Cluster 1 have the potential to increase their sales to market outlets, such as supermarkets, that seek larger volumes of production and that have relatively demanding entry requirements; they thus need programming to identify and respond to these needs. Producers in Cluster 2 are relatively new to production and marketing and would benefit from basic programming relating to farm-business planning, production methods, and marketing strategies. Finally, producers in Cluster 3 are distinguished by their diversity and experience in commercial production of berries and would benefit from programming that builds on their considerable experience in and outside of berry production to introduce innovative methods in production and marketing.