When: Thursday, March 5, 2026 (9:00AM-1:30PM)

Where: Chris Matthis Farm, 384 Harvell Road, Harrells, NC 28444

Register online Here 

You are invited to attend the Nineteenth Annual NCCBRGA meeting. It is a one day educational event filled with the latest information on caneberry production. The meeting agenda (see below) reflects growers needs covering various blackberry and raspberry production topics. There is a $20 lunch ticket per person required for the meeting. Pesticide credits will be available for attendees in the following categories: D, N, O, and X.

2026 NCCBRGA Annual Membership Dues are $50 and will be collected when you register online or on the day of the event at the registration desk. These monies are vital to the continued success of the association and its members. Your membership dues allow us to have an annual production meeting in addition to field days. The monies also support various research and academic projects. NCSU and NCDA Employees have FREE Membership to the NCCA. Sponsors and vendors from agricultural companies that support the blackberry and raspberry industry will also be present at the meeting with vendor displays showing their latest services, equipment, and products.

Meeting Agenda

9:00 - 9:30AM Registration & Coffee

9:30 - 9:50AM Welcome & Overview of Chris Matthis Farm-Chris Matthis

9:50 - 10:15AM Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Tool Updates-Tom McKemie,
Agricultural Technical Services Manager, Coastal AgroBusiness

10:20 - 10:45AM Pollinator Management for Diverse Berry Operations -Dr. Hannah
Levenson, Research Scholar, NCSU

10:45 - 11:10AM Mite Pests in Blackberries- Dr. Lorena Lopez, Small Fruit Entomology
Specialist, NCSU

11:10 - 11:35PM Managing Key Caneberry Diseases: What's New?Dr. Sara Villani,
Fruit Pathologist, NCSU

11:35- 11:45AM Break-Move into Packinghouse

11:45 – 12:10AM Blackberry Cold Hardiness-Hannah Lepsch, PhD Student, NCSU

12:10 - 12:30PM Update on H2A Adverse Wage Rate-Catherine Watts, Labor Services
International

12:30-1:30 PM Catered Lunch by Killing Time Grilling Crew, Sponsored by Coastal AgroBusiness

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Meeting will be held at the barn/packinghouse on Chris Matthis Farm. See map above. Building is circled in yellow. The google map link to the meeting building is: https://maps.app.goo.gl/t1FLxtCdvHqFX

Look for the parking signs and NC Caneberry Field Day sign or look for the building with a John Deer Barn Quilt on the front.