Blueberry Industry Honors Bodtke, Hartmann
Published: Friday, October 30, 2026
The North American Blueberry Council and the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council recently honored two southwest Michigan growers.
The late Ron Bodtke, a blueberry grower from Grand Junction, posthumously received the blueberry industry's highest honor, the Hall of Fame Award. The award celebrates leaders, growers and suppliers who have made a lasting impact on the blueberry industry in North America.
Bodtke passed away in 2016 at the age of 83.
Also honored was Shelly Hartmann, co-owner of True Blue Farms in Grand Junction. She received the Alex Wetherbee Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the blueberry industry in marketing and promotion.
In 1969, Ron and Phyllis Bodtke moved their four young children from the suburbs of Detroit to the small town of Grand Junction. Their adventure in blueberry farming began on 40 acres of land, including 12 acres of blueberries. They immediately joined the local blueberry co-op, MBG Marketing, which the family is still members of to this day.
The farm acquired additional blueberry holdings and expanded into row crops. Eventually, Ron became partners with three of his children, Tom, Kay and Larry. This operating partnership, formed in 1985, became known as Cornerstone Ag Enterprises. In 1993, a land holding partnership was formed which included daughter, Pam, and all spouses.
In 2004, Cornerstone Ag and family friends Fritz's Brookside Farms entered a partnership in the state of Oregon with Pan American Blueberry Growers, which now also includes farms in eastern and western Washington, and organic blueberry production.
Today, Cornerstone Ag owns nearly 600 acres of blueberries in Van Buren and Allegan counties and farms 1,200 acres of corn and soybeans.
As the owners of True Blue Farms, Hartmann and her husband, Dennis, have expanded her operation. In 1993, they started their first farm with just 25 acres of blueberries. As of today, True Blue Farms is one of the largest growers in North America, producing and marketing millions of pounds of premium quality blueberries. They produce 12 distinct varieties of blueberries.
In addition, Shelly has served as the former chair of the former U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.
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