Serious drought conditions that have gripped Maine for months cost apple and blueberry farmers millions of dollars in crop losses according to industry leaders.

Lisa Hanscom, who co-owns Welch Farm in Roque Bluffs says rain in May and June interfered with pollinators like bees. Then a flash drought hit just as the harvest started and withered growing blueberries.

"So I ended up raking only four acres, that was all I could rake before they were no longer there," said Hanscom, who also chairs the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine.

"The bushes were already turning red, the blueberries were already falling, we ended up losing 28 acres that we could not rake," Hanscom added.

The entire wild blueberry industry suffered the same conditions, according to commission executive director Eric Ven

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