The Oregon Blueberry Commission’s newest member has seen the industry develop from fledgling status to one growing in leaps and bounds in both production and consumption.

And Jeff Malensky, president of Oregon Berry Packing in Hillsboro, has seen the industry from many angles. Between walking fields as a production manager for Oregon Berry Packing to marketing blueberries in foreign markets, Malensky has a diverse perspective of the industry.

Initially, however, Malensky views his role on the Commission as a listener, hoping to learn from other members.

“Hopefully I can provide something to the Commission,” Malensky said, “but my goal is listening, understanding and learning and giving my two cents when I can.”

Malensky, 40, grew up on the Malensky family farm in Hillsboro and graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in International Business and International Studies. He interned with USA Pears in Milwaukie, Oregon and after graduating took a position with Grupo PM, a marketing and promotional firm in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

In Mexico, Malensky said, he learned about in-store promotions and about the importance of connecting to consumers.

“As a farmer, we’re trying to grow stuff we can make money at,” Malensky said. “But, at the other extreme, we have to ask ourselves, who is going to buy it?

“We have to understand our customers and see how we can better deliver what they need,” he said.

Malensky said Oregon Berry Packing labels include a lot code number and a message to consumers encouraging them to email comments.

“We do get a fair amount of mostly positive comments,” Malensky said. “But we get some negative comments, too. And we don’t mind the negative comments.

“If you don’t know the bad, you don’t know to make changes to what you’re doing,” he said.
Malensky said he decided to apply for a commission position in part because of lessons his father, Roy, taught him.

“Roy has been extremely involved in the industry, whether it has been with the Blueberry Commission or the Caneberry Commission (now the Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission). He’s now on the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and he was president of the North American Blueberry Council.

“He has injected into us the importance of getting involved,” Malensky said.

“You build relations when you get involved,” he said. “You become part of things. You are able to provide and receive information. You gain good contacts and you gain a better understanding of the details of our industry, what is going on.”

Also, Malensky said, he is enthused about participating more fully in an organization that is as successful as the Commission.

“The Oregon Blueberry Commission is one of the reasons why this state is the only state in the United States that can legally ship fresh blueberries to Korea, so obviously, they are doing something right,” he said.

Malensky sees plenty of market opportunity for the industry going forward, particularly if China opens up as a market for fresh product.

“I truly believe there is not enough blueberries on the West Coast to supply China if we get it opened up,” he said.

He is concerned, however, about whether the industry has adequate labor to meet the demand.

“The customers are there,” said. “But how do high-quality, fresh blueberries go from the field to the consumer without hand labor?

“We have opportunities that we are going to miss out on if we don’t get a labor force,” Malensky said. “The one thing we have to figure out is how to get our blueberries picked.

“That, I think, is our biggest challenge going forward,” he said.