National Strawberry Sustainability Initiative

Texas Strawberry Project: Russ Wallace (Project Director)

Revitalization of Texas Strawberry Industry through Identification of Production Constraints and Introduction of New Technologies

Texas Strawberry Project Objectives

To revitalize the strawberry industry through:

• Designating five strawberry production centers in Texas.

• Creating strawberry extension and research-led teams to address specific geographically-based needs.

• Identifying current and potential growers to participate and assist with project development and demonstrations.

• Developing production models for each production region based on grower/specialist trials (heat, soils, wind, high/low tunnels, salinity, irrigation, pest management, etc.

• Providing training and collaboration opportunities through meetings, conferences and field days.

• Developing and producing a DVD project documentary, as well as a ‘Production Guide for Texas-Grown Strawberries’.

TEXAS STRAWBERRY PROJECT TEAM

Texas A&M AgriLife Prairie View A&M Collaborating Growers

Russ Wallace Billy Lawton Debbie Cline

Juan Anciso Justin Duncan James Moss

Larry Stein Peter Ampim Milton & Diane Woods

Joe Masabni Russell Prince

Mengmeng Gu Bekki Callaway

Monte Nesbitt George Millard

Genhua Niu Industry Lynn Remsing

Daniel Leskovar G&W Nurseries Ronnie Wheeler

Marco Palma Franklin Wagner

Pat Porter Larry Jollisant

Erfan Vafaie Joseph Mehzer

Karl Steddom Bridgette Watson

Holly Jarvis Billy & Sue Weaver

Angel Fattorini Mary Basinger

Molly Giesbrecht Kyle Barnett

Kevin Ong Steve Young

Alma Solis-Perez

Texas Strawberry Project (multi-disciplinary)

Texas A&M AgriLifeResearch & Extension12 Specialists

4 Research Scientists2 Student Workers2 Graduate Students

Growers5 Current

11 New

Prairie View A&M1 Extension Director1 Research Scientist2 Student Workers

Industry1 Plug Producer

Total Participants41

Outputs

Meetings & Conferences

1st Annual Texas High Tunnel Conference

Texas Strawberry Project Team Meeting

Demonstration & Research Trials

Graduate Student Research & Publications

Albion

Chandler

G. Niu, 2014. Texas A&M AgriLife Research

El Paso

EC 4.4EC 3.3EC 2.2EC 1.1

Statewide Field Days & Tours

www.facebook.com/texasstrawberryproject

Consumer Preferences (Tasting & Purchasing)

DVD Documentary & Production Guide

Media ExposureTexas A&M AgriLife Communications

FacebookTVRadioOnline NewsNewspaperPress Releases

Major Outcomes: StakeholdersNo. of Stakeholders Influenced by the Texas Strawberry Project

Outputs No. Events No. of Contacts

Project Facebook Page 1 176 likes, >5,000 views

Research & Demonstration Trials 22 41

Project Team Meeting 1 30

Texas High Tunnel Conference 1 65

Statewide Field Days & Tours 9 300

Presentations (MG meetings, etc.) 20 500

Consumer Purchasing Auction 1 200

Documentary DVD & Production Guide 2 TBD

Media (Newspaper, TV, Radio, Press Releases, Online Articles, Print Articles

20 >75,000

Est. MS Thesis/Peer-Review Articles 2/3 TBD

Estimated Total 82 >81,000

Impacts

• Significantly increased the awareness of sustainable strawberry production in the state through both social and professional media.

• Successfully introduced Texas A&M AgriLifeand Prairie View A&M extension horticulture specialists and agents to sustainable strawberry production.

• Increased the awareness of high tunnel production techniques and strawberries to many of our small acreage growers.

Impacts

• Through our statewide field days and consumer preference testing we have increased the knowledge and desire of Texasconsumers for locally-grown strawberries.

• Exposure of the project through the media has increased the awareness of our small acreage growers to the potential for successful strawberry production in many parts of Texas, even in our semi-arid regions.

Impacts

• Our NSSI production guide will benefit Texas by providing a significant resource for producers and for specialists/agent to teach sustainable strawberry production methods.

• Our project has demonstrated the best methodologies whereby strawberry production in Texas can be increased through soil pH modification, heat and salinity tolerance, pest management, planting times, high & low tunnel production, and increased quality.

Impacts

• Through our research and demonstration trials we have taught many growers and provided them with skills, knowledge and the confidence to continue to grow strawberries.

• The Texas Strawberry Project has influenced many stakeholders including growers, consumers, retailers, media, extension horticulturists and Prairie View A&M and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension administration.

National Strawberry Sustainability Initiative

We sincerely appreciate and thank the University of Arkansas for this opportunity and for the funding from the Walmart Foundation!