BANGOR, Maine (AP) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it intends to buy up to $16 million worth of wild Maine blueberries for federal food programs.

The Maine Wild Blueberry Commission requested the purchase to help the industry address an oversupply caused by a large crop of blueberries. The industry was also impacted by a growing supply of frozen cultivated blueberries.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud of Maine asked the government to make a timely decision on the request.

Michaud calls the USDA purchase "a win-win that will help address the needs of the industry as well as the nation's food programs."

Copyright 2012 The AP.