Last week, East Coast and Gulf ports were shuttered for three days when the International Longshoremen’s Association went on strike. While a tentative agreement was reached relatively quickly and extended into January 2025, the three days wreaked havoc on the supply chain – including the blueberry industry.
A short strike and a 90-day reprieve may seem like a relief, but American blueberry farmers are still in a precarious position. And the strike and impending January showdown could combine to cripple the blueberry supply in the U.S.
This comes at a time when blueberry growers are still assessing the devastation of Hurricane Helene, and the much-needed farm bill still has not passed, creating an even more uncertain environment for U.S. farmers.
American families value the nutritional benefits of blueberries and choose this powerful superfruit as a part of a well-balanced diet. In fact, over the past decade, there has been a meteoric rise in consumer demand for blueberries. According to USDA, there was a 97% increase in per capita blueberry consumption between 2011-2021. Today’s families expect fresh blueberries to be available at their local supermarkets 365 days a year.
In the U.S., domestically grown blueberries are typically harvested from February or early March through September. However, like many items in the produce department, a counter-season supply of blueberries from growing regions south of the equator is needed to ensure year-round availability for American consumers. In fact, many U.S. berry companies have chosen to expand their operations to South America or work with local growers to supplement domestic production during the counter-season.
Between October and February, about 80% of the blueberries consumed in the U.S. are imported from Peru and Chile through East Coast ports. In 2023, 25% of imported blueberries during this window were moved through International Longshoremen’s Association-managed ports.
The recent port strike couldn’t have come at a worse time. The domestic season has recently ended, and the Peru import season is ramping up.
Even a single day of strike action ripples into several days of delayed deliveries of fresh produce. In the days leading up to and during the 3-day strike, shipments were diverted to European markets, containers were left in Colombia, and blueberries meant for American shelves are still sitting in storage days and even weeks behind schedule. This disruption in the supply chain means higher prices for families at a time when budgets are already stretched thin.
While the stopgap agreement is welcome news, it expires in mid-January, which will be right at the peak of the Chilean import season and right before the domestic season starts up again. If the parties do not reach an agreement by January 15 and another strike ensues, America’s blueberry-loving consumers will again see supply shortages.
All of this comes while growers in the southeast are reeling from the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene. Many farmers are looking at total crop loss and are left with bushes that will be unable to produce blueberries in the 2025 season – and potentially less production in 2026. In many cases, entire fields have been wiped out and will need to be replanted. The cost to blueberry growers – and blueberry consumers – will be felt for several years as the southeast recovers from the damage.
These major disruptions underscore the importance of passing a farm bill. Timely passage is critical when you consider that the farm bill includes crucial programs like the Tree Assistance Program, which provides the ability to replant damaged blueberry bushes from natural disasters such as a hurricane, research monies to help adapt crops to the types of modern challenges facing the industry, and funding to help build and grow new markets for crops.
Passing the farm bill will provide American farmers with the programs and resources they urgently need to rehabilitate their land and the certainty they need to operate in the years to come.
The East Coast ILA strike – and potential second strike – the impact of Hurricane Helene and delays in the much-needed farm bill are all working against blueberry growers. But folks coming to the table could change the prospects for the industry.
All parties involved with port negotiations must act with urgency to fend off the January strike action. Neither farmers nor American families should bear the burden of this standoff.
To inoculate the industry from other external threats – be they natural disasters or labor disruptions – Congress must prioritize passing the farm bill and disaster assistance before the year’s end. This will not only provide relief to American farmers who are growing the food on American tables but also instill some confidence while producers are facing a difficult 2025 season.
It's time to come together and take action to keep our agriculture economy thriving and ensure families have reliable access to fresh, nutritious food.
Kasey Cronquist is president of the North American Blueberry Council and the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council .
