Michelle Palacios, Administrator of the Oregon Blueberry Commission.

As the administrator of the Oregon Blueberry Commission, it was my honor to participate in The Blueberry Hill Climb in Washington, D.C. in early March.

I joined dozens of blueberry industry leaders from across the U.S. that participated in the event, including a distinguished group from Oregon. Representing our state were Tom Avinelis of Homegrown Organic Farms, Ellie Norris of Norris Blueberry Farms, Micah Weiss of Fall Creek Farm and Nursery, Christina Butler of MBG Marketing, and myself.

The importance of participating in a trip like this can’t be overstated. During our time in D.C., we were able to connect and establish relationships with the staff of four of our Congressional Representatives: Susan Bonamici, Andrea Salinas, Janelle Bynam and Val Hoyle; as well as both of our Senators: Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley.

This connection is invaluable and was very much appreciated by our congressional delegation and their staff. When they are in district, they are limited by time constraints on who they can connect with. So, for us to bring our message to D.C. and to build those relationships in their offices really does make a difference. We can now be assured that when there is a question about the Oregon blueberry industry, they know to contact us to get the answers they need.

Likewise, those connections are invaluable for us, as well. When our industry and an issue that needs congressional support, we know who can assist us. By having an established relationship with our elected officials and their staff, our concerns will be heard and addressed.

I want to commend the North American Blueberry Council for the leadership and coordination they provided us and the entire delegation. We were treated to a full itinerary that included an impressive list of speakers, such as Patrick Penn, the Deputy Undersecretary of Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services at USDA, officials from the USDA Risk Management Agency, and from USDA Trade and Foreign Ag Affairs.

It was very helpful to have that firsthand opportunity to not only hear from these officials but also ask questions and better understand what the landscape is regarding food and agricultural policy at the federal level as well as the makeup of the different agencies and the various issues they address.

These presentations also helped us prepare for the visits with our congressional delegation as we advocated for the needs of the Oregon blueberry industry and our growers and stakeholders.

I have participated in annual DC Hill Climbs throughout my career in Oregon agriculture, but this was my first experience as part of the blueberry delegation. As I reflected on my week in Washington, D.C., I was filled with inspiration about what was accomplished, as well as what is ahead for this great industry.

She can be reached at 503-364-2944 or at Michelle.Palacios@bci-mgmt.com