Recent News

New grant sends student scouting Botrytis throughout California

Feb 8, 2016

A grant awarded to the Cal Poly Strawberry Center through the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is sending Cal Poly student, Scott Cosseboom, traipsing across California on a hunt for Botrytis gray mold.

The grant will fund the Center's research on improving strawberry gray mold management in California by looking at current resistance and management practices.  So far, Scott has visited 13 different fields in Ventura County over the course of two days.  Local growers are anxious to help the Strawberry Center find techniques for managing the gray mold problem that they all face, offering up their farming records and answering questions that Scott may have. 

Stay tuned as Scott travels to fields in Santa Maria, CA for more samples.

Assemblymember Jaqui Irwin visits Strawberry Center

Oct 14, 2015

Assemblymember Jaqui Irwin toured the Cal Poly Strawberry Center Tuesday, October 13, 2015.  Center Director Gerald Holmes hosted a tour of field and lab research aimed at controlling soilborne diseases such as Macrophomina crown rot.  “Soilborne diseases threaten all of California’s strawberry production and we are working on solutions applicable to all production regions” remarked Holmes.  Assemblymember Irwin serves in the 44th district, encompassing parts of Ventura County where strawberries are an important crop.

U-Pick Event continues on into September

Sep 7, 2015

Saturday, August 29th kicked off the first day of the Cal Poly Strawberry Center's U-Pick Field.  Over 200 people visited the field on the University's campus to harvest approximately 650 pounds of the juicy, ripe berries.  

CA Assemblymember returns to the Strawberry Center

Aug 11, 2015

Assemblymember Katcho Achadjian (35^th Assembly District) toured the lab and research fields of the Cal Poly Strawberry Center on Aug 11^th.  Katcho was one of the initial supporters of the Strawberry Center and was excited to see all the progress made over the past year.

Louisiana State University students tour the Strawberry Center

Aug 7, 2015

Plant Pathology graduate students from Louisiana State University (LSU) toured the Cal Poly Strawberry Center on Friday Aug 7^th as part of a week-long tour of California agriculture.  Dr. Kelly Ivors and Center Director Gerald Holmes arranged visits with strawberry farmers and Frontier Cooling in Santa Maria then toured field research and labs at Cal Poly.  LSU students were very gracious and remarked that “it will be tough to out-do Cal Poly” on this tour.

CA Senator Returns to the Strawberry Center

Jul 23, 2015

17th Senate District Senator Bill Monning returned to the Cal Poly Strawberry Center for a tour of the lab and research facilities on July 23rd.

Center Director featured on KCBX Radio

Jul 20, 2015

Strawberry Center Director, Gerald Holmes was featured on the July 20th radio broadcast regarding the recent rains and the affect it has for strawberry growers in our area.

Cal Poly Strawberry Center featured in AgriView Magazine

Jun 30, 2015

The Spring 2015 edition of Cal Poly's College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences magazine, AgriView, features a two page article on the Strawberry Center and the research being done for the future of the agricultural industry.  

Check it out here: http://issuu.com/cafes.calpoly.edu/docs/agriview_spring_15_final/6

Even more stores now carrying Cal Poly Strawberries!

Jun 10, 2015

Cal Poly strawberries spread through the county

The Cal Poly Strawberries are available throughout the County at the following stores. 

Campus Dining Students Prepare the Strawberries for Dipping

May 5, 2015

Ag Business student Jennifer Tarke dips strawberries at Campus Dining.