Ohio State University researchers are working to increase blackberry and raspberry production in the state. RESEARCHERS with The Ohio State University (OSU) are in the midst of a multi-year project studying alternative planting methods to help Ohio growers increase the production of two small, increasingly popular fruits that many health experts hail as "superfoods." The demand for blackberries and raspberries has exploded in recent years, thanks to consumers who covet the fruits for their many health benefits, said Gary Gao, an OSU Extension specialist and associate professor of small fruit crops at the OSU South Centers at Piketon. With the growing consumer demand for more locally grown, healthy foods, farmers who are able to increase their blackberry and raspberry production could see a significant financial gain, he said. Expansion of blackberry and raspberry acreage in Ohio is one of the goals of the two-year, $55,000 project, which is funded through a USDA specialty crop block grant through the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Gao said. The grant was awarded over the summer and work began on the project in October 2012.
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