III 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 656 

Recognizing the importance of the blueberry industry to the United States 

and designating July 2020 as ‘‘National Blueberry Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 22, 2020 

Ms. STABENOW (for herself, Mrs. MURRAY, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. PERDUE, Mr. 

KING, and Ms. COLLINS) submitted the following resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the importance of the blueberry industry to the 

United States and designating July 2020 as ‘‘National 

Blueberry Month’’. 

Whereas the blueberry is a fruit native to North America; 

Whereas blueberries were first— 

(1) managed and harvested as wild blueberries by 

the native Wabanaki through specialized burning practices that are still used in 2020; and 

(2) used fresh and dried in food and medicines by 

Native Americans, who introduced blueberries to early 

colonists, which led to new uses and forms of blueberries, 

including frozen, establishing traditions still observed in 

2020; 


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•SRES 656 IS 

Whereas the pioneering work conducted in New Jersey in the 

early 1900s by Elizabeth White and Dr. Frederick 

Coville, a botanist at the Department of Agriculture, to 

domesticate wild lowbush blueberries resulted in the development of the hybrid for cultivated highbush blueberries; 

Whereas, because of those early efforts, highbush blueberries 

are large, sweet, juicy berries that can be commercially 

produced and shipped; 

Whereas wild blueberries— 

(1) are small and sweet; and 

(2) are not planted, but still grow and are harvested 

where they have naturally occurred for thousands of 

years; 

Whereas the blueberry industry in the United States, including both highbush and wild blueberries, is an important 

agricultural industry with an annual economic impact of 

$4,700,000,000; 

Whereas highbush and wild blueberries— 

(1) have a total harvested area estimated at more 

than 140,000 acres; and 

(2) are produced in 48 States by more than 15,000 

growers and their families; 

Whereas highbush and wild blueberry production in the 

United States has continually increased, with particular 

growth during the first 2 decades of the 21st century, 

reaching a total harvest of 700,000,000 pounds in 2019; 

Whereas blueberries are— 

(1) low in fat; and 

(2) a source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals; 


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•SRES 656 IS 

Whereas blueberries are being studied to examine the role 

that the berries may play in promoting good health in 

areas such as cardiovascular health, brain health, exercise, insulin response, and gut health; and 

Whereas blueberries are harvested in the United States from 

March through early September, with the peak of the 

harvest occurring in July: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates July 2020 as ‘‘National Blue3 berry Month’’; 

4 (2) recognizes the contributions of blueberry 

5 growers in the United States and their families; and 

6 (3) recognizes that purchasing blueberries 

7 grown in the United States supports farmers, jobs, 

8 and the economy of the United States. 

Æ 


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