"This is great news that will not only help Maine's blueberry growers respond to an unusual supply situation, but also provide the nation's school children with the well-documented nutritional benefits of wild blueberries," said Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins in a joint statement. "We are pleased the U.S. Department of Agriculture agrees that a Wild Blueberry Bonus Buy is a positive response to the unusual supply situation that has faced an industry that is largely self-sustaining."
For the second year in a row, Maine's wild blueberry industry enjoyed a near-record crop of wild and cultivated blueberries in 2001. Coupled with a residual over-supply from the 2000 growing season, prices for Maine wild blueberries dropped to just $0.31 per pound - the lowest level since the previous record crop of 1992.
The Senators asked Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman to approve the bonus buy on June 19th, also citing reduced demand for wild blueberries as a result of the September 11th attacks and the economic slowdown, as well as weak market conditions in Europe.
Maine's wild blueberry industry encompasses 60,000 acres of farmland, with annual production approaching 70 million pounds. Maine's production accounts for virtually all of the wild blueberries grown commercially in the U.S. After last year's record harvest, Snowe and Collins successfully argued for a 14 million pound wild blueberry bonus buy last year, as well.