Release No.: 131-16
WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced today that highbush blueberry producers and importers have voted to continue the Blueberry Promotion, Research and Information Order (Order).
In a referendum held from July 5 to July 28, 2016, 74 percent of the producers and importers voting, and 80 percent of the production volume represented favored continuation of the Order. With a majority of votes representing the majority of blueberry production supporting the program, the Order will continue.
Research and Promotion Programs are industry-funded, authorized by Congress, and date back to 1966. Since then, Congress has authorized the establishment of 22 research and promotion boards. They empower agricultural industries by establishing a framework for them to pool resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight to help ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
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