Provided by USHBC
At August’s Great American Farmers Market in Washington, D.C., blueberries were positioned center stage with USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. to talk about health.
The appearance of U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council’s blueberry smoothie bike was a priceless opportunity to showcase blueberries’ health halo – and drive home the beloved nature of this superfruit.
Secretary Kennedy showcased his passion for the Make America Healthy Again movement by jumping on the blueberry smoothie bike to blend a carefully crafted blueberry smoothie that he and Secretary Rollins toasted to on stage.
Sending the blueberry bike to Washington, D.C., allowed the USHBC to double down on the message that blueberries (and the hardworking farmers who grow them) have earned a spot on the stage when it comes to the conversation about health.
The smoothie bike helped communicate not only the blueberry health halo, but why blueberries really are becoming the world’s favorite fruit. And it aligned the blueberry industry with the national public health goals spelled out by the MAHA commission, allowing the North American Blueberry Council to step in and further help shape the future of nutrition policy.
Because when anyone is talking about healthy foods, they know they can count on blueberries to deliver – and we have the research and data to prove it.
Just as our growers are doing the work of growing this amazing superfruit, NABC continues to fight for growers to get the attention they deserve, and USHBC continues to ensure that blueberries stay top of mind with consumers everywhere.
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USHBC Report Shows Florida Blueberry Industry Is a Powerful Economic Driver
Blueberrygrowers and importers deliver a powerhouse crop that contributes nearly $9.1 billion in annual economic impact to the U.S. economy, or nearly $25 million every day, according to recent reports from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.
In the United States, the highbush blueberry industry accounts for $6.7 billion in annual economic impact, or about $18.3 million per day, while creating and sustaining 49,260 full-time equivalent jobs supported by the business activities of U.S. growers. Additionally, U.S. highbush blueberry growers generate nearly $2.4 billion in labor income each year, equating to about $6.7 million per day, and indirect business taxes generated by grower spending totals nearly $193.1 million annually, or $529,000 per day, not including income taxes.
In Florida, the highbush blueberry industry delivers an annual economic impact of $414.9 million, supporting 3,100 full-time equivalent jobs. Labor income generated by Florida blueberry growers totals $149.5 million, while grower spending contributes $9.7 million in indirect business taxes to the state each year. These figures underscore Florida’s critical role in powering the U.S. highbush blueberry industry and driving local prosperity.
A Boost in the Billions Across America
“The domestic and global economic impact reports reaffirm what our industry has long recognized – blueberry growers have a powerful and positive impact on the U.S. economy,” said Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC. “Thanks to the ongoing commitment of growers and our import partners, blueberries are available to consumers year-round, contributing to spending that helps create and maintain thousands of jobs and delivers billions in economic activity nationwide.”
In addition to the $9.1 billion in total economic impact, which reflects increased business activity from both U.S.-grown and imported blueberries, the economic impact study also shows:
Jobs: The U.S. highbush blueberry industry, supported by both domestic growers and international import partners, creates and sustains 61,676 full-time equivalent jobs each year. These jobs are a result of the business activities of growers and the multiplier effect that spending generates across a variety of farming and non-farming sectors.
It is important to note that this substantial job number does not include the jobs supported by blueberry processors or handlers. We would see even higher numbers if the full blueberry supply chain was considered, but for the purposes of this study, we focused exclusively on the economic impact of highbush blueberry growers and importers, Cronquist noted.
Labor Income: $3.3 billion in labor income is generated annually by the business activities of growers, equating to $9.1 million each day. These are dollars that go to wages and salaries for new employment, as well as expanded incomes to those already in the labor force for activities such as overtime pay. These dollars are then diffused throughout the U.S. economy as the funds are spent on crucial goods and services such as food, housing, transportation and health care.
Indirect Business Taxes: Each year, about $277.9 million in indirect business taxes, not including income taxes, are generated by the U.S. highbush blueberry industry, from both domestic growers and import partners. These collective indirect business taxes translate to about $761,325 per day.
Blueberries From Abroad Generate U.S. Jobs, Boost Economic Impact
According to the 2025 economic impact study, imported blueberries account for nearly $2.4 billion in annual U.S. economic impact, the creation of 12,415 full-time equivalent U.S. jobs, $876.2 million in U.S. labor income, and $84.8 million in indirect business taxes generated by importer spending.
Although these blueberries are grown abroad, the business activity they generate occurs within the U.S., through handling, transportation, distribution and sales. These transactions help create and sustain American jobs and contribute to U.S. labor income and tax revenues, demonstrating how global supply relationships drive domestic economic value.
