Maine's wild blueberry harvest has been hit by an unusual weather sequence: a cold, wet spring that reduced pollination, followed by drought and frequent days above 90°F, leading to widespread plant stress. A 90-year-old grower reported a roughly 50% loss on his 40 acres, while industry managers estimate about a 30% decline regionwide. Farmers face rising costs and invasive pests like the spotted wing drosophila, and the industry is seeking emergency support. Experts urge irrigation and broader climate action to protect future yields.
Maine Blueberries in Peril: Cold Spring, Drought and Heat Slash Yields
Maine's wild blueberry harvest has been hit by an unusual weather sequence: a cold, wet spring that reduced pollination, followed by drought and frequent days above 90°F, leading to widespread plant stress. A 90-year-old grower reported a roughly 50% loss on his 40 acres, while industry managers estimate about a 30% decline regionwide. Farmers face rising costs and invasive pests like the spotted wing drosophila, and the industry is seeking emergency support. Experts urge irrigation and broader climate action to protect future yields.
02:50 PM, 11/13/2025Environment
Maine wild blueberry harvests hit hard by unseasonal weather
The wild blueberry season in Washington County, Maine, has been severely disrupted by an unusual sequence of weather this year: a cold, wet spring that hindered pollination followed by drought and repeated days of extreme heat. Local growers say the combination has sharply reduced yields, jeopardizing livelihoods and straining local food supplies.
Bangor Daily News reports that the season began with spring rains that, although normal in quantity, arrived cold enough to slow pollinator activity. That early chill was followed by a summer of drought and many days above 90°F, creating cumulative stress on plants across the region.
Dell Emerson, a 90-year-old blueberry grower, told BDN his harvest fell by roughly 50% on his 40 acres. "This is one of the worst years we've ever had for yield," Emerson said. Darren Paul, general manager of Passamaquoddy Wild Blueberry Co., estimated an industry-wide decline near 30% and noted changing seasonal patterns: "spring is coming on earlier, and the falls are staying longer. It's not cooling down as quick."
Darren Paul: "People with irrigation will be OK. People with no irrigation will be at the mercy of the weather, so maybe some people will invest in it."
Farmers are facing several compounding pressures beyond weather: thinning profit margins, rising labor and input costs, and increased pest pressure from invasive species such as the spotted wing drosophila, an Asian fruit fly that infests ripe fruit and complicates management. BDN reports that Maine's blueberry industry is seeking "emergency support" to help growers weather the losses this season.
Adaptation and longer-term solutions
Experts emphasize irrigation and other on-farm climate adaptations as immediate risk-reduction measures. Longer-term strategies include restoring natural habitats to support pollinators, managing invasive pests, protecting key ecosystems, and reducing planet-warming pollution to stabilize temperatures and lessen extreme events.
Reduced yields have immediate economic consequences for farmers and may lead to higher prices for consumers. Many small producers with thin margins may find it difficult to continue without additional support or investment in resilience measures.
While the challenges are significant, growers and experts say that targeted adaptation—combined with policies to curb emissions and support rural producers—can help safeguard Maine's blueberry industry and strengthen local food systems.