Bloggers Influencing Consumers. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

Bloggers. It’s a word and a profession that is relatively new. What is blogging? Basically it’s a personal journal published on the internet for anyone to see. And today bloggers, and especially food bloggers, are fast becoming one of the most influential forces on consumer purchasing decisions. NW Ag Networks KayDee Gilkey has more.

GILKEY: Food bloggers can mean a lot to not only consumers but the food industry as well. Take tree fruit. The industry needs to connect with them if it wants to make sure that it gets positive information about apples and apple products out in the ‘virtual’ marketplace. While print media is down, blogging is helping to fill the gap and keeping consumers entertained and informed often times in a space that is not easy to influence. Some organizations like USApple are embracing bloggers in unique ways like including them in a food blogger conference held here in Washington D.C. USApple even sponsored an online “progressive dinner party” contest for bloggers.

Many commodity groups have launched their own blogs which will feature new information, recipes and more. More and more people are taking the time to read through various blogs to learn about new products or better ways to get better value. One fruit industry person said that it’s very important to take part in these conversation. So check out the latest food blogs and enjoy.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.