It's blueberry season in the Garden State. And in case you didn't know it, New Jersey is a major player in blueberry production.

State Agriculture secretary Doug Fisher says New Jesey is the second-largest blueberry producer in the country, behind Michigan, with "50 million pounds of blueberries on 9,000 acres."

Fisher says July is the month for blueberries in the state: "it will go for several more weeks so, the peak time is right now."

Fisher says New Jersey's blueberry production reaches pretty far north.

"They are always waiting for those Jersey blueberries in eastern Canada," he said.

But he also says our fruit goes from Florida to Maine. And depending on how the growing goes out west, New Jersey blueberries in some years can go as far as Chicago.

Anthony DiMeo III is the owner-operator of a family blueberry farm and business in Hammonton that started with his great-grandfather more than 100 years ago. He says blueberries love to grow in the pine barrens.

"The secret is in the soil. The soil really gives the New Jersey blueberry the chance to grow and flourish," he said.

Hammonton calls itself "the blueberry capitol of the world." More than 7,500 of the 8,800 acres growing the berry in Jersey are in Hammonton. Burlington County is also a big blueberry producer.

DiMeo also says the blueberry industry is very powerful in Atlantic County, "in light of the fact that the casino industry has taken a back seat to the blueberry industry."

Joe Cutter is the afternoon news anchor on New Jersey 101.5

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