2019 ASHS Annual Conference

The landscape of fruit breeding is rapidly changing. Fruit breeding programs in the private sector are developing a larger percentage of important new cultivars than ever before. The goal of this workshop is to give private sector small fruit breeders an opportunity to share their perspectives on challenges and opportunities in our industries. Panelists representing a broad range of small fruit commodities, large and small companies, and career experience levels will each give a brief presentation about what contributed to their career choice and then share information on their breeding program and its major objectives. These introductory presentations will be followed by a moderated panel discussion on private sector perspectives in fruit breeding covering topics related to intellectual property and access to varieties, breeding for global market and diverse environments, and use of genomic breeding strategies in the private sector. Participant speakers sharing perspectives on careers in private breeding, particularly compared to public career opportunities.