NCSFR Summer 2026: New Research Funding, New Tools, and a Stronger Research Network

A research project does not begin in the field. Before growers see new practices, varieties, pest-management strategies, or production tools, there is an entire network working behind the scenes — identifying priorities, developing proposals, reviewing research, securing funding, and connecting findings back to the industry.

This summer, several pieces of that network are moving forward at once. From nearly $2 million in recommended research funding to changes in how NCSFR projects are funded, improvements to the proposal process, new research leadership, and a redesigned digital experience, Summer 2026 marks an important period of progress for the Northwest Center for Small Fruits Research.

NCSFR projects will now receive full funding for the entire duration of the project, beginning September 1 of the first year and continuing through December 31 of the final year.

For researchers, this creates a clearer funding structure for carrying projects from approval through completion. For the industry, it supports continuity. Agricultural research often requires multiple seasons of data before researchers can understand patterns, evaluate treatments, and develop findings that can ultimately be applied in the field.

For the 2026 cycle, nine proposals were recommended for full funding, while an additional proposal was recommended to support the development of preliminary data. Following the correction of an earlier funding error, the total amount awarded reached $1,979,409.

To our newly funded researchers: congratulations. We look forward to seeing this work move from proposal to research and, ultimately, into knowledge that can benefit the industry.

For researchers whose projects were not funded this cycle, the work does not necessarily end here. NCSFR encourages applicants to refine their proposals and apply again when the funding portal reopens.

• Blackberry Disease Management — Assessing the role of Gnomoniopsis idaeicola and other fungal cane blight pathogens in Blackberry Collapse
• Huckleberry Pollination and Soil Management — Identifying Huckleberry Pollinators and the Impact of Soil Amendment Treatments
• Grapevine Red Blotch Virus — Understanding the Onset of Systemic Infection of Red Blotch Virus and Phenotypic Studies of Grapevines Expressing a Red Blotch Virus Infectious Clone
• Cold-Hardy Grape Rootstocks — Evaluation of Novel Cold Hardy Grape Rootstocks for Use in the Pacific Northwest

The research itself is only one part of the system. This past year also introduced ARIEL (Ag Research Information & Educational Library), a research collaboration and grant management platform.

ARIEL was created in response to pain points experienced with previous grant management systems and was shaped by direct user and administrator insight. During its first NCSFR funding cycle, the system improved proposal handling while also revealing an important opportunity for improvement: incomplete submissions contributed to delays in the proposal process.

Moving forward, proposals submitted through ARIEL will need to be complete and correctly formatted before proceeding to review. Researchers receive clearer expectations, while reviewers can focus their time on evaluating the strength of complete proposals.

NCSFR has also redesigned its website to address communication and educational gaps between researchers, growers, industry stakeholders, and the broader public.

Previously, information was scattered across the site and often presented through highly technical funding language. That made it difficult for someone unfamiliar with NCSFR to quickly understand what the Center does, why its work matters, or where they fit within the research network.

The new website architecture takes a storytelling approach instead. Funding programs, committee structures, conference expectations, research outcomes, and the complete funding lifecycle are being organized so audiences can follow research from proposal to in-field application.

The goal is not simply better navigation. It is to make the relationship between industry need, research investment, collaboration, and grower impact visible.

Dr. David Bryla and Dr. Walt Mahaffee have been appointed permanent Research Leaders for the Horticultural Crops Production and Genetic Improvement Research Unit (HCPGIRU) and the Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit (HCDPMRU), respectively.

Their appointments provide continued leadership within research programs addressing production, genetics, disease, and pest-management challenges relevant to horticultural crops.

NCSFR congratulates Drs. Bryla and Mahaffee on their appointments and looks forward to their continued contributions to the research community.

Taken individually, these summer updates cover funding, technology, leadership, communication, and an upcoming conference. Together, they tell a larger story.

NCSFR exists within a research network spanning Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, bringing industry priorities, researchers, institutions, and funding together around challenges affecting Pacific Northwest small fruits.

The nearly $2 million invested this cycle is one part of that system. The more important measure will be what comes next: research conducted, knowledge shared, and findings translated into tools and information the industry can use.

That is the path from research priority → funding → investigation → collaboration → field impact. And the next group of projects is now underway.