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Strawberries (Fragaria ×ananassa) are an important crop for diversified fruit and vegetable farms in the northeastern United States as well as in Ontario and Québec, Canada. The industry in this cold climate region differs greatly from that in the major strawberry-producing states of Florida and California because strawberries typically represent a smaller share of total farm revenue and are sold primarily through retail markets. In recent years, strawberry production and marketing methods in the northeastern United States and Canada have diversified to meet the unique challenges of the region, including regional demand, extended seasons, and management of an increasingly challenging pest and disease complex. In 2020, we distributed an online survey to 163 commercial producers to obtain a snapshot of marketing and production practices used on strawberry-producing farms in this region and to assess research and outreach needs to better serve the industry. We conducted in-depth case study interviews with a small number of producers after the survey. We found that traditional June-bearing strawberry production continues to represent >50% of production, and that most fruit are grown conventionally. Day-neutral strawberry production was reported by an increased number of producers in New York as well as in Canada, and a higher percentage of day-neutral growers, compared to that of June-bearing producers, reported using protected culture. Botrytis (gray mold), weeds, and leaf spots were the top overall pest pressures indicated by growers. Survey respondents preferred written outreach materials and on-farm meetings to obtain information. Integrated pest management, organic production, and cultivar performance were the top priorities for subjects. The survey and interviews also provided information about the most common strategies for winter protection, frequency of pesticide applications, lifespan of plantings, and other current strawberry production practices in the region. Our survey results may be used by researchers and extension professionals to better serve this diversifying industry.

Since its introduction to North America in the 1990s, the invasive swede midge (Contarinia nasturtii) has become an important pest of cruciferous (Brassicaceae) vegetables in the northeast and Great Lakes regions of the United States and the Canadian provinces of Québec and Ontario. Swede midge reduces yield in cruciferous vegetables through larval feeding that distorts growth. Overlapping generations, cryptic larval feeding, and lack of effective biopesticides pose challenges for managing swede midge effectively using current tools. In 2018, we distributed an online survey for commercial vegetable growers in the United States and Canada to measure farm-level economic impacts of swede midge and grower perspectives on new management strategies for this pest. Growers reported losing $3808 US ($4890 Canadian) on average per acre per year due to swede midge–related vegetable crop losses. Both organic and conventional growers expressed an interest in paying more for nonchemical swede midge management vs. insecticides and were interested in trying new management strategies, particularly biological control.

Although agricultural plastic mulches can have significant horticultural benefits for specialty crops such as strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa), there can also be significant economic and environmental costs. In particular, polyethylene (PE) plastic mulch requires labor and financial investments for removal and disposal. Micro- or nanoparticles may persist in soil and negatively affect microbial activity, physical soil properties, and nutrient availability. A possible alternative to PE mulch is biodegradable plastic mulch, which has similar horticultural benefits but does not need to be removed from the field at the end of the growing season. Biodegradable plastic mulch can be tilled into the soil, where it is converted by soil microorganisms into water, carbon dioxide, and microbial biomass. Although horticultural and environmental research into the impacts of PE and biodegradable plastic mulch is ongoing, it is also important to understand farmers’ practices and perceptions related to these mulches. We conducted a survey of strawberry growers in three growing regions of the United States: California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Mid-Atlantic. Our results indicate several regional differences, with California farmers being more likely to have used biodegradable plastic mulch, and growers from California and the Pacific Northwest being more likely to perceive negative impacts of PE mulch compared with growers in the Mid-Atlantic. Regardless of region, a majority of growers were interested in learning more about biodegradable plastic mulch. We conclude with several suggestions for biodegradable plastic mulch development and outreach that may promote strawberry growers’ adoption of this technology.

Pacific Northwest North America (PNW) strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa) growers are transitioning away from the processing to fresh-market sector in response to changes in local and regional markets. However, many of the regional cultivars bred for the PNW were not developed for the fresh market. There is a need to gain a better understanding of growers’ priority traits and their relative importance to enable breeders, researchers, and extension specialists to better serve this growing industry. The objective of this study was to provide such information on strawberry genetic traits of importance for the changing strawberry industry in the PNW with an emphasis on fresh-market production. Six surveys were administered to 32 growers representing ≈53%, 23%, and 15% of the total strawberry acreage in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, Canada, respectively. Growers ranked the relative importance of five plant and fruit traits, including fruit quality, disease resistance/tolerance, insect pest resistance/tolerance, plant stress tolerance, and other plant factors. Information about target markets, marketing channels, and general grower characteristics were also obtained. Whereas overall responses differed among the surveyed locations, fruit quality was considered the most important trait across all locations, with disease resistance/tolerance as the second most important. Specific fruit quality traits of importance were external appearance free of defects, skin color, size, sweetness, firmness, and flavor, whereas phytonutrients, seed color, and low drip loss after freezing and thawing were less important. Plant stress tolerance was identified as less important for strawberry growers in all locations. Results also showed many growers have already or are in the process of transitioning to the fresh market. Information obtained from this survey can be leveraged to target important breeding traits for fresh-market strawberry breeders within the PNW. Results also suggest priority areas of synergistic research and outreach activities to help growers achieve high fruit quality while managing diseases for fresh-market producers.