California Strawberry Commission
Shedding light on the sustainable future of California strawberry farmers
The Challenge
Ninety percent of strawberries grown in the U.S. originate in California. For over 50 years, farmers up and down the state’s coast have cultivated the crop, revolutionizing the state’s agriculture landscape through innovative, sustainable farming practices. Harvesting nearly two billion pounds of fruit annually, strawberry farming provides more than $3 billion to the state’s economy. But this profound impact has, historically, been unknown and clouded by misconceptions about the industry’s farming, sustainability and pesticide prevention practices. To set the record straight, the California Strawberry Commission (CSC) turned to POLITICO Focus to help educate state policymakers and industry stakeholders on this vital industry — and to shine a light on the innovative people and practices that are advancing responsible strawberry farming across the Golden State.
The Strategy
Representing over 400 strawberry growers, shippers and processors, the CSC had an important story to tell about the industry’s dedication to environmental stewardship, economic empowerment and workforce development. To demonstrate the people, passion and innovation behind the berry, POLITICO Focus produced a magazine-style article that combined human-driven storytelling, case studies, and an in-depth look at the strawberry industry’s economic impact on the state of California.
Through vibrant design and client-provided, on-the-ground photography, readers were introduced to the Navarro brothers, second-generation farmers responsible for 103 acres of California strawberry fields. The article explored the brothers’ journey from field workers to farm owners and highlighted their commitment to being good stewards of the land. Offering a broader look at the sustainability work being done at the industry level, the article also featured a partnership between CSC and California Polytechnic State University dedicated to researching sustainable farming practices. And, to further contextualize these stories, the article natively incorporated data graphics that explored the industry’s broader impact on the California economy. Framing the strawberry as the premier crop of opportunity, the article highlighted how the fruit has cultivated workforce resilience, bolstered the California economy, and powered a more sustainable future.
The Results
Specifically targeted to California readers, “Opportunity is Ripe for the Picking,” educated California legislators and agricultural stakeholders about the role of strawberry farmers in the state’s economy, and their commitment to innovation, safety and sustainability.
The experience surpassed Focus’ standard time-on-page benchmark by 30 seconds and generated nearly three times more page views than our standard brand content.
The experience surpassed Focus’s goals:
- 30 seconds – higher than the standard time-on-page benchmark
- 3X – more page views than standard brand content
