Over the last two decades, blueberries have transitioned from a specialty crop into a global commodity available year-round. Homegrown Organic Farms has been a staple in the category.

“Blueberries have grown to be probably the highest gross sales commodity for the company,” said Stephen Paul, stone fruit and blueberry category director for the Porterville, CA-based company.

The family-owned and operated farms that sell fruit under Rainier Fruit Co.’s label have been honing its craft for generations. The Selah, WA-based company is a leader in blueberries and runs a 100 percent organic blueberry operation.

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Awareness Month.

Brain health is important at every age in the lifecycle, but especially relevant for older adults. Many factors such as sleep, daily movement, and more play a role in keeping our body’s command center performing at its best — and nutrition is no exception. Evidence suggests that eating a diet containing a variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans and seafood during adulthood is associated with lower risk of age-related cognitive impairment, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Superfresh Growers has 700 acres of blueberries grown in the Umpqua River Valley in southern Oregon, where the mild, dry climate is ideal for producing delicious, large, high-quality blueberries over a long season.

When summer arrives, many of the best U.S. blueberries begin hitting produce aisles. With import problems from earlier in the year from places like Chile and Peru, consumers are looking forward to fresh blueberries.

Naturipe Farms is among the largest supplier of blueberries in the world and has been selling blueberries to consumers for more than 70 years.

“There have been a lot of changes over the years,” said Brian Bocock, vice president of product management at Naturipe Farms. “We have evolved from pulp fiber and cellophane containers to clamshells in 1992 and Naturipe Farms lead that charge.”