[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 139 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 139

  Recognizing the importance of the blueberry industry to the United 
   States and designating July 2021 as ``National Blueberry Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 25, 2021

  Ms. Stabenow (for herself, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Peters, Mr. Booker, Mr. 
   Menendez, Ms. Collins, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. King, Mr. Merkley, Mrs. 
 Murray, and Mr. Wyden) 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 2021 as ``National Blueberry Month''.

Whereas blueberries are a native North American fruit, first managed and 
        harvested as wild blueberries by the native Wabanaki;
Whereas wild blueberries continue to be managed and harvested in Maine by 
        farmers including the Wabanaki, as a native, naturally occurring crop;
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 these 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 is an important sector of 
        United States agriculture with an annual economic impact of 
        $4,700,000,000;
Whereas highbush and wild blueberries have a total harvested area estimated at 
        more than 140,000 acres and are produced in 48 States by nearly 13,185 
        farms;
Whereas blueberry production in the United States has continually increased, 
        with particular growth in the first 2 decades of the 21st century, to 
        reach a harvest of 730,000,000 pounds in 2020;
Whereas blueberries are low in fat and a source of fiber, vitamins, and 
        minerals;
Whereas blueberries are being studied to examine the role 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 harvest reaching its peak in July: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates July 2021 as ``National Blueberry Month'';
            (2) recognizes the contributions of blueberry growers in 
        the United States and their families; and
            (3) recognizes that purchasing blueberries grown in the 
        United States supports farmers, jobs, communities, and the 
        economy of the United States.
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