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Blueberries celebrate 100th anniversary

The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council credits Elizabeth White, a cranberry farmer’s daughter from New Jersey, for the start of their industry about 100 years ago.  “Researcher Dr. Frederick Coville was trying to find a way to domesticate high bush blueberries, he was doing some test work in what is now the parking lot of the Pentagon.”

Blueberry Council Executive Director Mark Villata tells Brownfield after Coville’s research was published through the USDA, Elizabeth White connected with him about cultivating wild high bush blueberries that were growing around their cranberry bogs.  “Over the years they were successful in these transplants and were able to produce their first commercial crop of blueberries back in 1916, that marked the birth of our industry.”

He says the 2016 harvest is underway with expected production at 750 million pounds.  “We’re grown in 38 states, but nine states account for about 98 percent of the production.”

Once the largest producer, increased production in Washington State and freeze events in 2015 dropped Michigan to number four last year.  Oregon, Georgia, and California rounded out the top five production states.

AUDIO: Interview with Mark Villata