\n<\/p>\n
Reneker was surprised to learn that elderberries grew near her home on California\u2019s central coast. She began to forage for Western blue elderberries and make syrup at home. The difference between her product and the store-bought ones was stark, inspiring her to launch Carmel Berry<\/a> as a cottage food operator<\/a>, which permitted her to produce elderberry products at home and sell them locally. But she ran into a roadblock.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t just pick off the side of the road once you\u2019re an actual business,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd there weren\u2019t any farms that could meet the demand.\u201d<\/p>\n To encourage farmers and grow a supply chain for Western blue elderberries, she began to convene groups of interested growers for workshops, attracting hundreds of people from across the country. Blue elderberries are adapted to the hotter and drier western climate<\/a>, making them attractive for farmers looking to diversify with drought-tolerant crops.<\/p>\n But the lack of research into growing blue elderberries worries farmers nervous about trying a new crop. Blue elderberry is functionally still a wild plant, without the consistency that comes from research and development. As a result, Reneker can source some elderflowers from local blue elderberry plants, but still largely relies on Midwest growers for her berry supply.<\/p>\n One initiative that could have bridged the knowledge gap and built supply and demand for blue elderberries is The Elderberry Project<\/a>, spearheaded by the Santa Barbara nonprofit White Buffalo Land Trust<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cElderberries have been cultivated for over 10,000 years by Indigenous communities just here in our region,\u201d said Jesse Smith, the land trust\u2019s director of land stewardship. \u201cCombine that with the market growth over the last five years in particular, and we felt like it was such an important thing for us to explore,\u201d he added, saying that the project\u2019s goal was to also include Native people in its efforts.<\/p>\n \u201cElderberries have been cultivated for over 10,000 years by Indigenous communities just here in our region. Combine that with the market growth over the last five years in particular, and we felt like it was such an important thing for us to explore.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n It partnered with the Santa Ynez Chumash Environmental Office<\/a>, which planned to supply elderberries grown in its native plant nursery and incorporate workforce development for the tribal community. The project aimed to help small producers learn to cultivate the crop, install a processing facility, and grow market appetite from businesses. Another partner, the U.C. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, conducted initial research into the agricultural potential of blue elderberries<\/a>.<\/p>\n In April, a sudden cut<\/a> to the project\u2019s five-year, $4.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) Partnerships in Climate Smart Commodities Program slowed its momentum.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve laid all the groundwork,\u201d said Lauren Tucker, who is leading market development for the project. \u201cWe were literally just about to make the equipment order, which kickstarts the whole marketplace.\u201d<\/p>\n The USDA is reviewing existing projects based on new criteria and continuing funding for qualifying projects under a new name, the Advancing Markets for Producers initiative. For now, Tucker is trying to think creatively about how to fill the funding gap while resubmitting updated project plans for USDA review.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t kill the project, but it really changes things,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n While efforts to build a market around Western blue elderberries are just beginning, the Midwest is better established. Missouri is at the forefront of domestic production of the American elderberry, albeit with only 400 acres estimated in cultivation. The state got a head start three decades ago, mostly due to the interest of a small group at the University of Missouri<\/a>, including horticultural researcher Andrew Thomas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a group in Kansas that was making, and still makes, really good elderberry wine,\u201d he said, referring to Wyldewood Cellars<\/a>, a winery outside of Wichita. Since they were collecting elderberries from ditches and along fencelines on the family\u2019s 1,000-acre ranch, there was no quality control or consistency, Thomas said. But the product was good, and \u201csome light bulbs went on.\u201d<\/p>\n Thomas began collecting and planting wild American elderberries to investigate improved cultivars. Farmers immediately took notice. \u201cIt just kind of grew and grew, and very quickly went way beyond wine,\u201d he said, as producers began experimenting with juices, syrups, and health supplements.<\/p>\n Producer interest propelled Thomas\u2019s project forward. In 2021, his research<\/a> on developing elderberry production and processing received a $5.3 million USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant<\/a>. The ongoing project<\/a> includes developing cultivars, researching growing regions, exploring mechanical harvesting, and researching processing and market potential.<\/p>\n Many farmers who grow elderberries to diversify their farms aren\u2019t so sure about ramping up beyond a niche crop.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A small system of processors has sprung up in the area, each drawing from a network of local farms. Thomas said there is also discussion about going big with regional hubs and centralized processing facilities. The market for natural food coloring may be poised to grow<\/a> further as Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants to eliminate artificial dyes<\/a> from the nation\u2019s food supply, which could lead to even more demand for elderberries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFederal Budget Cuts Stall Elderberry Project<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n
A Midwest Berry Boomlet<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n