Jul 30, 2021

July once again proclaimed as National Blueberry Month

As another successful National Blueberry Month closes out, the North American Blueberry Council shared that Senate Resolution 139 passed with unanimous consent last week, officially designating July 2021 as National Blueberry Month and recognizing the importance of blueberry growers and the blueberry industry in the United States.

Although this announcement came as the blueberry industry was already in the midst of celebrating this milestone month, the unanimous passage of the resolution speaks to the importance of the blueberry industry on the U.S. and its economy, and the overwhelming support from our lawmakers.

“Having Senate Resolution 139 pass shows once again the national support of and pride in the blueberry industry, and is in part thanks to the efforts of the NABC and its 140 members who help wave the flag for the blueberry industry with legislators every spring,” Ken Patterson, Florida blueberry grower and current chair of the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), said in a news release. “National Blueberry Month is a significant milestone for our industry, and a great way to continue to raise awareness for blueberries. What’s more, the timing couldn’t be better, as July is when many of our U.S. blueberry growers and farmers are in the peak of their harvest season.”

While the current proclamation specifies National Blueberry Month for 2021, July has long been a time of celebration for the mighty blue fruit. For decades, the NABC worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to achieve a proclamation for July to be known as National Blueberry Month, and in 2003, that hard work paid off when USDA first declared it as such.

Over the years, NABC has worked closely with the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) to appropriately celebrate National Blueberry Month, and this year the efforts were bigger than ever. As one example, on July 8 – National Blueberry Day – millions of viewers tuned into ABC’s Good Morning America (GMA) to watch USHBC partner Chef George Duran attempt to beat the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS  title for the tallest stack of pancakes. And even though the record was not beaten this time around, something monumental was accomplished – earning top-tier exposure for blueberries on one of America’s most popular morning television shows.

Another key promotion to celebrate the month and garner valuable attention to blueberries was the establishment of a nationwide consumer contest and awarding America’s Best Blueberry Pie recipe, the winner of which was announced July 29.