National Blueberry Month

National Blueberry Month celebrates blueberries throughout July, highlighting their flavor, versatility, and place in American agriculture. Blueberries are native to North America and have long been enjoyed as a food; today, they can be eaten fresh, frozen, or used in fruit salads, smoothies, and other dishes. The USDA has also highlighted the work of growers and processors who bring blueberries from farms to tables.The USDA’s account of the blueberry’s history notes that the first commercial crop of cultivated highbush blueberries was harvested in 1916, after New Jersey farmer Elizabeth White and USDA botanist Frederick Coville worked together on cultivation.

Accounts differ on the observance’s formal beginnings. The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service says July was first introduced as “Blueberry Month” through a joint resolution of the U.S. House and Senate in 1974, while a North Carolina Cooperative Extension account identifies a USDA proclamation in 1999. The month continues to provide an opportunity to enjoy blueberries and learn more about the fruit and the industry that produces it.The USDA NRCS history also notes that blueberries begin ripening in Minnesota in mid- to late July.

How to Observe National Blueberry Month

Celebrate by enjoying blueberries fresh or frozen, adding them to a fruit salad or smoothie, or baking them into a favorite treat. Visit a local blueberry farm if it offers picking, and learn more about how blueberries are cultivated and brought from farm to table. You can also use July as an opportunity to appreciate the growers and processors behind the fruit, as described by the USDA.

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