1899
First blueberry research report by W.M. Munson at UMaine, published by the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station
Munson, W.M. (1899). The blueberry in Maine. (Orono, ME: Me. Agr. Expt. Sta. 14th Ann. Rpt. 1898), pp. 164-172.
1945
State Blueberry Tax to support research and University of Maine Cooperative Extension outreach efforts, including establishment of Blueberry Hill Farm Experiment Station in Jonesboro and the Maine Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine, headquartered at UMaine
1950–60
Transition from canning to freezing for processing
1952
Fruit fly crisis addressed by UMaine research, including work by F. Lathrop, published by the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES Bulletin 500)
1960s
Research demonstrates the value of two-year cropping cycle for wild blueberry barrens
1970s
Wild blueberry integrated pest management fruit fly thresholds and trapping program established
1970
Wild blueberry commercial harvester head developed by graduate student Gleason Gray, who then worked for UMaine Extension
1973
Oil embargo prompts more growers than ever to shift from burning to mowing their barrens, which requires removing rocks from their fields
1985
Use of the herbicide Velpar doubles wild blueberry production
1999
More growers than ever begin buying bees and adding irrigation to improve crop yields
2000
State’s largest blueberry crop — 110.6 million pounds
2011
Spotted wing drosophila fruit fly introduced into Maine that infects healthy fruit; thresholds developed in 2017