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Wild
Blueberry Newsletter |
September 2009 The Wild Blueberry Association of North America (WBANA) and the Wild Blueberry Research and Extension Workers will hold their annual meeting in Bangor, Maine on October 29th and 30th at Hollywood Slots Hotel. There is a $30 registration fee that includes lunch and an optional $70 fee for the banquet dinner. All registration forms must be returned to WBANA by October 21, 2009. Please see attached registration form. On Wednesday, October 28th from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. there will be a welcoming reception with a cash bar. On-site registration will begin on Thursday morning, October 29th at 8:00 a.m. Research and Extension reports will be given by Maine and Canadian workers from 9:00 to 3:00 p.m. There will be a report on the World-Wide Blueberry Promotion Program (including the situation with world-wide blueberry crop growth), New Marketing Strategies, and Promotion Updates for both domestic and off-shore markets. The evening social hour will begin at 6:00 p.m. followed by the banquet dinner at 7:00 p.m. WABANA committee meetings will take place the following day. I hope you can make it to this important meeting! The Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources, Market and Production Development Division, is requesting farmer applications to the Maine Farms for the Future Program (FFF) - Phase 1 - Business Plan Development Program. To be eligible, an applicant must own and operate a farm business that has been producing agricultural products commercially in the State of Maine for at least two (2) years at the time of application. Applicants must also own their own farmland. If having recently purchased farmland, the applicant must have at least two years experience operating a farm business elsewhere in Maine. As defined in Title 7, Chapter 36, Rules Governing the Maine Farms for the Future Program, a Farm Business means that the agricultural products grown or produced on the farm are being sold commercially and the farm has documentation of gross and net farm income, expenses, net worth, and farm debt. Copies of the Request for Proposals (RFP) and Program Application are available from Cheryl Maschino, DAFRR-M&PD, 28 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0041, (207) 287-3491, cheryl.maschino@maine.gov . Six (6) copies of the proposal and one (1) copy of required tax forms sealed in one (1) envelope clearly marked with your return address and the notation: Proposal: Maine Farms for the Future Business Plan Development Program'must be delivered to the Division of Purchases, Burton M. Cross Building, 4th Floor, 111 Sewall Street, 9 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0009, no later than 2:00 p.m. local time on Monday, October 19, 2009, at which time and place they will be publicly opened and read aloud. Trade Shows: SupplySide West has been added to the 2009 trade show line-up. This will be WBANA’s debut at this national ingredient show expected to draw more than 1000 exhibitors and nearly 10,000 attendees. Focus areas include dietary supplements, food and beverage, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and animal nutrition. Consumer Advertising: WBANA’s new consumer advertisement aimed at driving interest in frozen wild blueberries took the inside back cover of the October issue of Health Magazine. Swardlick Marketing Group secured this coveted spot on behalf of WBANA - great visibility for WBANA’s debut consumer ad. As previously reported, Health Magazine targets health-conscious consumers, primarily women, reaching more than 8 million readers every month. The audience is strongly skewed toward principal shoppers or decision makers, with a passion for healthy living. Web Promotion: Proposals from various food-focused internet media properties are currently under review. On-line ads are expected to debut around November 1st promoting the frozen fruit message and drive visitors to a sweepstakes entry page. Details around a Maine getaway offer are being finalized. The added incentive of a trip sweepstakes is expected to boost click-through rates and gather a larger number of email addresses than a promotion with a smaller, more limited giveaway. You can find more information on wild blueberry health benefits in the wild blueberry health news on the WBANA web site at http://www.wildblueberries.com/health_benefits/newsletter-subscribe.php Sincerely,
David E.
Yarborough
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