Wild Blueberry Farming in Relation to Water Security

Wild blueberry field in the winter

Significance of Wild Blueberries in Maine

Maine produces over 99% of wild blueberries in the United States, which is managed by about 485 land owners on 41,000 acres of land (Maine DOE). In 2021, the annual yield was 105 million pounds, which was worth around $80 million (Lawrence). Wild blueberries cannot be “cultivated” in the traditional sense - a given blueberry field in Maine may contain as many as 1,500 distinct species that naturally exist on the land (Beers). As a matter of fact, wild blueberries were one of the first plant species that grew in Maine after the glacial retreat 10,000 years ago, and the indigenous Wabanaki people first used them as a source of nutrition (Howard). Wild blueberries have a two-year production cycle where plants are pruned to the ground after harvest. The year after pruning is when vegetative and bud development occurs which is followed by the bearing year when the plant flowers after pollination and produces blueberries. Additionally, Blueberries are being increasingly recognized for their health properties, such as high antioxidant, manganese, and Vitamin K concentrations (Calderwood). Like agriculture in many places, the wild blueberry industry in Maine has experienced growing drought patterns, especially during the summer growing season.

Drought Conditions Impact on Wild Blueberry Growth

We have seen many news articles that discuss the recent drought conditions and their impact on the wild blueberry crop in Maine. Many articles contain testimonials from local wild blueberry farmers in which they describe the decreased yield experienced in recent years due to summer drought conditions. However, it is important to elaborate on the drought conditions that are impacting blueberries, and the role of climate change in these drought conditions.

Historically, short-terms drought periods lasting a few months are not uncommon for Maine and multi-year drought events have also occurred in the past, during the 1960s and early 2000's for example (Maine Climate Council Scientific and Technical Subcommittee). Reports show that the three year drought starting in 1999 caused wild blueberry crop losses of more than 80%, equating to $32 million in lost crop during the 2001 and 2002 seasons (U.S. Department of the Interior). Recent drought conditions can be classified as meteorological drought, in which there is a reduced precipitation, and is characterized by higher atmospheric temperatures and dryness in the summer growing season. While it is not yet clear whether drought conditions will become more frequent in the future, a warmer climate will serve to exacerbate drought conditions when they do occur (Maine Climate Council Scientific and Technical Subcommittee).

In the recent years, drought conditions have caused challenges for wild blueberry growth. Research suggests that long term drought, one year or more, and drought occurring in the early growing season, April-June, is most damaging to wild blueberry crop yield (Barai). Speaking to several small wild blueberry farmers, we learned about the many changes they have observed for their crops in the past couple of years. For example, warmer temperatures have caused an overall shift in the growing season such that harvest now occurs several weeks earlier than in the past. Additionally, warmer temperature during the winter seasons cause an increase in the rain to snowfall ratio and can prevent the fields from freezing over, a necessary part of the wild blueberry growing cycle. The recent trend in wet springs has increased mummy berry disease, a fungal pathogen that damages berry quality (Cline & Wilson), and hindered the wild blueberry pollination process. Lastly, dry summers have hindered blueberry growth seen in decreased overall berry size and quality. These blueberry growth changes have real financial and personal consequences for small-scale farms in Maine, making it more difficult to plan for and coordinate labor around harvest time and maintain a reliable income to support their families. The farmers we spoke to emphasized the stresses that recent conditions have brought upon them.

Wild blueberries infected with mummy berry disease

“We’ve had 9 generations of my family working on the farm. We say jokingly, but also seriously, that we want to make it to the 10th.” - Ron Howard

Water Insecurity for Wild Blueberry Farmers

Many small-scale farmers are eager for solutions after recent meteorological trends have made it difficult to turn a profit. For example, in 2022, over half of Maine’s counties experienced drought conditions (Murphy) and many farms, such as Fields Fields Blueberry and Brodis Blueberry, saw crop yield reductions that summer. This reduced yield also means substantial financial losses as blueberry farmers are paid for the weight of their harvest. What’s more, farmers like Field and Howard will also face lower yields in 2023 and potentially feel the effects for as many as four growing seasons due to the two-year growing cycle of wild-blueberries.

Organic wild blueberry chips, a value-added product

Irrigation is a solution being explored by some farmers, though this is a very costly investment. The two farms that currently use irrigation are large-scale operations while the small-scale farms have felt a need for irrigation as wild blueberries are a native species to Maine. Now, small-scale farmers, like Howard of Brodis Blueberries, can't sustain the financial stresses caused by the vagaries of a rain-dependent harvest. Howard has decided to build an irrigation system on his farm and has received grant funding through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program of the US Department of Agriculture, which covers 75% of the installation cost. Howard is aiming for a 20-acre coverage of lie-flat sprinklers, which will be fed by groundwater via a portable pump. Still, he hopes to only use the irrigation system as a supplement to rainfall in order to achieve the recommended one inch of rainfall per week (Calderwood). In addition to increasing his farm's resilience to summer drought, there is hope that the sprinkler system could be used for frost protection in the spring, creating a film of protective ice over the plants. Unfortunately, many of the wild blueberry farms do not have reasonable topography and access to ground or surface water, making it difficult to implement irrigation.

Other farmers have decided to find less expensive solutions to counteract future climate uncertainties. For example, Field of Fields Fields Blueberries shifted to grow organic wild blueberries several years ago and is now benefiting from the less volatile organic wholesale price. In fact, the organic blueberry price actually increased during the drought, though still not significantly enough to offset lower yields. Additionally, Field has chosen to supplement wholesale wild blueberry production with many value-added products such as blueberry crisps and teas that are certified organic. We had the opportunity to try the organic wild blueberry chips, shown to the left, and can attest that they were delicious! Other alternatives such as biochar amended soil or mulching has been shown to help maintain soil moisture during hot summer months (Vittek, 2023).

Blueberry Distribution Channels

Traditionally, blueberry farmers sell their blueberries directly to wholesalers who process them before plcaing them into retail and other distribution channels. However, this arrangement is often problematic for farmers because they do not know how much the wholesaler will pay them until they receive a check in December, despite sending their crop to the wholesalers in August. Howard shared that on several occasions, the price he received was less than his operating costs. Field explained that there are a few long-standing wholesalers with large-scale processing plants and that it is difficult for any new entrants to compete. As one can imagine, this setup is currently very stressful for farmers and many are supplementing with value-added products such as blueberry spirits, jams, and chips that can be sold directly to consumers. This gives farmers much more autonomy in that they are able to determine the appropriate costs of each product based on yield and operating costs. Additionally, value-added products can provide a steadier source of income as they can be shipped and sold year-round unlike raw blueberries, which have a very limited shelf life.

“The middle guys always get their take, you either eat it as a producer or as a consumer” - Jesse Field

Researcher-Farmer Relationships

The relationship between blueberry farmers and researchers appears to be overwhelmingly positive, although our perceptions may be slightly biased by the fact that the two farmers we spoke to were referred to us by Dr. Calderwood. Dr. Calderwood is a member of the Research Extension of the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine, which is funded by a tax on all blueberry sales and helps to ensure the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of the blueberry industry. She and her fellow researchers work with some of Maine’s wild blueberry farmers to develop climate adaptation strategies. Howard has been involved with experiments on woodchip's ability to hold moisture in the soil and make blueberries more drought-resistant. He shared that many of the trials seemed promising and that he is happy to contribute to the body of scientific knowledge in the industry. Field also frequently collaborates with the Research Extension and has reviewed some reports about using biochar to retain water, but he is still skeptical about introducing it on his farm.

Hand-pushed harvester used to collect blueberries

This relationship is no accident and is born out of decades of mutual cooperation and trust. Howard appreciated how Calderwood purposefully cultivates relationships with small farmers like himself and doesn’t focus solely on large-scale operations. Field talked about how he can send Calderwood an email about any issue he’s facing on his farm and she usually gets back to him within an hour. On the researchers’ end, both Calderwood and Fanning stressed how receptive the farmers have been to new ideas. These relationships with farmers are especially important because they tend to observe different changes on their farm that can be linked to climate change effects and seem eager to learn more about the science underlying wild blueberry production. In addition to performing research with local wild blueberry farmers, Calderwood organizes yearly conferences for the blueberry industry that bring together farmers from across the US and Canada to exchange knowledge on the latest technologies and value-added products. The Research Extension also hosts workshops that help farmers earn credits towards pesticide licensing and provide referrals of the farmers they work with to external buyers interested in sourcing blueberries.

The mutually beneficial relationship between wild blueberry farmers and researchers is an interesting case study in contrast with the relationship between lobstermen and researchers. The lobstermen-scientist relationship has historically been characterized by mistrust due to many instances, including the right whale controversy. The lobstermen we spoke with tended to feel that researchers don't have the necessary knowledge of what happens in their day to day work to make judgements on the effectiveness and sustainability practices they have in place. In contrast, the wild blueberry farmers we spoke with had much respect for researchers and appreciated the commitment they had for improving farming practices across the industry.

"[Researchers like] Lily have been a breath of fresh air" - Ron Howard

Summary

Wild blueberries have been cultivated in Maine for thousands of years and the industry contributes greatly to Maine's culture and economy. Recent drought conditions have been made more severe due to climate change and have generally decreased wild blueberry crop yield. Despite the inherent unpredictability of how climatic changes will impact the industry, it is promising to see that a working relationship between researchers and farmers can help growers be resilient and adapt to new challenges. At the end of the day, the key to making sustainable change is to create localized support systems where scientists tailor their recommendations to the Maine context. Many of Maine’s blueberry farmers and lobstermen are part of multi-generational operations and are more than willing to make changes if it means that their livelihoods can continue.

References

“About the Maine Wild Blueberry - Cooperative Extension: Maine Wild Blueberries - University of Maine Cooperative Extension.” Cooperative Extension: Maine Wild Blueberries, https://extension.umaine.edu/blueberries/about/.

Barai, K.; Tasnim, R.; Hall, B.; Rahimzadeh-Bajgiran, P.; Zhang, Y.-J. Is Drought Increasing in Maine and Hurting Wild Blueberry Production? Climate 2021, 9, 178. https://doi.org/10.3390/cli9120178

Bousquet, Carol. "Maine's drought is devastating wild blueberry crops on the Blue Hill Peninsula." Maine Public, 10 Aug. 2022, https://www.mainepublic.org/environment-and-outdoors/2022-08-10/maines-drought-is-devastating-wild-blueberry-crops-on-the-blue-hill-peninsula.

Beers, L.; Rowland, L.J.; Drummond, F. Genetic Diversity of Lowbush Blueberry throughout the United States in Managed and Non-Managed Populations. Agriculture 2019, 9, 113. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture9060113

Blueberries - Maine. https://apps.web.maine.gov/doe/sites/maine.gov.doe/files/inline-files/Blueberries.pdf.

Calderwood, Lily and Fanning, Philip. Personal Interview. 13 March 2023.

Calderwood, Lily. “Wild Blueberry Concentrations: Antioxidants, Vitamins and Minerals - Cooperative Extension: Maine Wild Blueberries - University of Maine Cooperative Extension.” Cooperative Extension: Maine Wild Blueberries, https://extension.umaine.edu/blueberries/factsheets/quality/wild-blueberry-concentrations-antioxidants-vitamins-and-minerals/.

Cline, Bill and Wilson, Lena. "Mummy Berry Disease of Blueberry." NC State Extensions, 11 Feb. 2022, https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/mummy-berry-disease-of-blueberry.

Field, Jesse. Personal Interview. 17 March 2023.

Howard, Ron. Personal Interview. 17 March 2023.

Lawrence, Margaret. "Wild Blueberries - The Maine Event." National Institute of Food and Agriculture, 14 July 2022, https://www.nifa.usda.gov/about-nifa/blogs/wild-blueberries-maine-event#:~:text=According%20to%20USDA's%20National%20Agriculture,pounds%20from%20the%20previous%20year.

Levenson, Michael. “Whole Foods to Stop Buying Maine Lobster amid Risk to Endangered Whales.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 29 Nov. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/28/us/whole-foods-lobster-maine-whales.html.

Kryszak, Joyce. "Wild Blueberry harvest in Maine suffered in this year's drought." News Center Maine, 3 Oct. 2022, https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/agriculture/maine-wild-blueberry-harvest-suffered-in-this-years-drought-weather-environment-agriculture/97-51c9eec2-9e79-4e7e-8d98-7d0c5baec430.

Maine Climate Council Scientific and Technical Subcommittee. "Scientific Assessment of Climate Change and Its Effects in Maine." Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and The Future, Aug. 2020, https://mco.umaine.edu/pubs/reports/pdf/gopif-sts-report_2020.pdf.

Maine Climate Office. "Statewide Monthly/Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation." Maine Climate Office, https://mco.umaine.edu/climate/me_monthly/?cdiv_id=me-03&var_id=t2anom&mon_id=mjjas.

Natural Resources Conservation Service. "Environmental Quality Incentives Program." United States Department of Agriculture, July 2019, https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-environmental-quality-incentives.

Sottile, Zoe. “Maine Politicians Protest after Lobsters Placed on 'Red' List.” CNN, Cable News Network, 11 Sept. 2022, https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/11/us/us-lobster-red-list-whales-scn-trnd/index.html.

U.S. Department of the Interior. "The 1999-2002 Drought in Maine - How Bad Was It?," United States Geological Survey, March 2004, https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2004/3021/.

Vittek, S. (2023, January 4). Is the biochar boom upon us?: Ambrook research. Ambrook. Retrieved May 4, 2023, from https://ambrook.com/research/sustainability/biochar-blueberries-Maine-drought

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