A late frost in April damaged cherry orchards in northwestern Michigan, leaving growers with reduced volumes for the third time in five years. King Orchards, located near Grand Traverse Bay, reported that frost left about 15% of a typical crop, while the Cherry Industry Administrative Board forecast a 41% overall reduction in Michigan's tart cherry production compared to 2024. Losses are steepest in the northwest, with estimates of a 70% drop.
Harvest operations were further affected by delays in H-2A visa approvals. The farm's Guatemalan crew arrived weeks late and short-handed. "It all slows us down," said Juliette King McAvoy, business manager at King Orchards. Rising costs were compounded by the U.S. Postal Service reorganization that delayed fruit shipments, and federal funding cuts that left a USDA cold-storage grant request unresolved.
Michigan cherry growers say recent changes in U.S. trade and agricultural policy have also impacted the sector. Federal tax and spending laws expanded support for commodity crops like corn and soybeans, but nutrition and local food programs for fruit and vegetable growers saw reductions. Trade disputes also reduced export demand. About one-third of King Orchards' concentrate is exported, mainly to Taiwan and New Zealand, though lower crop volumes are limiting exports this year.
Across the U.S., USDA data shows fresh cherry exports in 2024 totaled nearly US$506 million, up 10% in value and 3% in volume from the previous year. In the first half of 2025, exports fell 17% in volume and 15% in value, with sales to Canada down 18% and shipments to China not recovering since the 2018 trade dispute. Washington State, the leading U.S. sweet cherry producer, recorded a 29% larger crop this season, but growers there reported low wholesale prices and fewer sales channels.
Labor shortages continue to challenge cherry production nationwide. Oregon grower Ian Chandler reported that half a million pounds of cherries went unharvested due to insufficient labor. "We are bleeding from a thousand cuts," he said. In Michigan, King Orchards reported being short of two workers due to H-2A visa delays.
At the Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Center, funded by USDA and grower contributions, researchers continue trials on hardier trees and disease management. Director Dr. Nikki Rothwell said, "This kind of research doesn't have corporate backers. It's always been the government and the growers." A pending USDA grant of US$100,000 for disease research remains under review.
Michigan produces about 75% of U.S. tart cherries, used for dried fruit, juice, and processing, while Washington State leads in sweet cherry production.
Source: Reuters