New Jersey Agriculture Secretary Ed Wengryn highlighted the beginning of the state’s blueberry season with a visit to Macrie Brothers Blueberry Farm in late June.
The USDA reports that New Jersey accounted for about 25% of domestic blueberry truck shipments in the last week of June.
Wengryn and several state and local officials viewed the packing of Jersey Fresh blueberries to emphasize that locally grown produce and farm products are readily available now at farmers markets and stores around the state, according to a news release.
“Blueberries are one of the signature crops of the Garden State and a highlight of the New Jersey growing season,” Wengryn said in the release. “The Macrie brothers are among the growers who continue to build on the well-earned reputation that makes our blueberries internationally known. The dedication and commitment by our growers results in the highest quality fruit each year.”
Blueberries in New Jersey for 2023 had a production value of $92.1 million, making it the state’s highest-selling crop. New Jersey annually ranks in the top six in the U.S. in the production of blueberries. Farmers in the Garden State harvested 50 million pounds of blueberries on 10,800 acres last year, the release said.
The Macrie brothers have been growing blueberries in New Jersey since 1953. What started as a 26-acre farm has blossomed into an 800-acre operation, the release said. The Macrie brothers are also active members of the New Jersey Blueberry Industry Advisory Council, along with local county boards and the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.
The blueberry season in New Jersey lasts through the end of July, which is National Blueberry Month. At the peak of blueberry season, production can be as high as 250,000 to 300,000 crates per day, the release said.
Eating blueberries is beneficial to health, as they are known as the “King of Antioxidants,” and the berries are low in calories and high in nutrients.
According to the Census of Agriculture, New Jersey continues to be among the top producers in the U.S. of several crops, including eggplant at No. 3, cranberries and asparagus each at No. 4, and blueberries at No. 5. Other crops in which the state ranks in the top 10 for production include peaches, plums, bell peppers, spinach, bok choy, escarole, kale and romaine lettuce, among others, according to the Census of Agriculture.
