Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine seeks relief for growers in the US

In an answer to spiraling grower expenses, the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine is seeking a year hiatus from the 1.5 cents per pound tax the state levies on the wild berries. The commission met in Ellsworth, Maine, on Dec. 13 to discuss grower profitability and the tax, which is due on all wild blueberries grown in Maine, whether they are processed in Maine or out of the state. Virtually all of the crop is processed. The commission consists of blueberry growers and processors; the tax is split between the two groups. The tax, assessed and collected by the state, goes to the commission, a research and promotion program. According to the group’s 2022 Annual Report, the tax raised $1.7 million, 61% of which went to promotion activities. A majority of that, $920,000, went to promotion and health research through the Wild Blueberry Association of North America-US in 2022. Another 10% of the commission budget went to the University of Maine for research projects. “The commission ...