Cherries

Fewer cherry farms in Michigan

There were 450 Michigan farms growing tart cherries in 2011, down from 540 in 2006 and 615 in 2000, according to recent reports from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.Despite the shrinking number of farms, the... more »

Feds OK help for fruit growers hammered by weather

The federal government Monday declared Michigan a disaster area because of damage to fruit crops from erratic spring weather, making growers eligible to seek low-interest loans.Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, said USDA had granted... more »

New York apple crop takes a significant hit

Ken Nice has been growing fruit for 50 years and he’s never seen such bare branches on his apple trees during the growing season.“There are some trees with nothing on them,” said Nice, a Knowlesville... more »

Eastern apples, cherries hit hard; Western fruit avoids disaster

Record-breaking warm temperatures in March, followed by a series of freezes, savaged Michigan’s tree fruit crops this spring, along with crops in other Eastern states. Western states, however, fared better. Speakers went over the numbers... more »

Editor’s letter: Insure tart cherries

Tart cherries need to be insured. Phil Korson, director of the Cherry Marketing Institute, is doing his best to make that happen. Terrible weather did substantial damage to the tart cherry crops in Michigan, New... more »

Growers need crop insurance to be more transparent

Fruit growers don’t tend to be big fans of federal crop insurance, said Mark Seetin, director of regulatory and industry affairs for the U.S. Apple Association. “If you ask 100 farmers, ‘Raise your hand if... more »

Farmers’ market association educates consumers

One of the missions of the Colorado Farmers Market Association (CFMA) is to educate consumers across the state about the value of fresh, locally grown produce. In the wake of the tainted cantaloupe outbreak that... more »

Cherry growers head to banner crop despite rain

While assessments continue on the effects of Tuesday's rain on the cherry harvest, early estimates suggest damage may be in the range of up to 10 percent across the cherry growing districts of Eastern Washington.More... more »