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ProPublica ·Behind the news

My Maddening Quest to Find Out if Blueberries Come From Farms Where Workers Were Harmed

by Max Blau

Published 2026-07-21 09:00:00+00:00

How much can anyone really know about the farm that grew the blueberries in their fridge?

0:00 / 5:44 · Narrator Charon

Context

A plastic pint of blueberries in a Georgia grocery store is the starting point for this ProPublica report from 21 July 2026. The search for the farm that grew them hits a wall of corporate silence and hidden labor contracts. The systems bringing produce to the kitchen table are often built to hide exactly how workers are treated. Only a few pennies stand between worker abuse and fair pay, yet most major brands still refuse to spend them.

Show notes

An investigation into why grocery shoppers cannot easily find out if their blueberries come from farms that mistreat workers. Tracing supply chains from Georgia fields to store shelves shows how labor contractors and a lack of federal rules hide the conditions of farm laborers. It also looks at why major food brands and grocery chains have largely declined to join programs that guarantee fair pay and safety for pickers.

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