Climate Collapse, Labor Shortages, Tariffs, Costs All Driving Collapse Of Michigan's Cherry Production (Down 2/3rds YOY)

[hatrack]

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A prime example of the weather volatility happened in late April when a cold snap damaged the fruit-producing flower buds. Farmers will start picking cherries in mid-July, and Dr Nikki Rothwell, extension specialist and Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Center coordinator at MSU, estimates north-west Michigan will harvest 30m pounds, versus 100m last year.

Climate change is causing other adverse weather events. Rothwell says the late-April temperatures weren’t typically cold enough to harm buds, but wind accompanied the cold, which caused unexpected damage since previously scientists didn’t think wind chill harmed trees. A rare hailstorm in June also caused some damage. Rothwell says an unusually dry fall may have left cherry trees susceptible as well.

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Labor issues are also hampering cherry production. The supply chain relies on a mix of local and migrant labor, and there is a shortage of both. Some migrant laborers are hired through the H-2A visa, a temporary work visa for agricultural jobs, and some migrant laborers are undocumented, says Dr David Ortega, a professor at MSU’s department of agricultural, food and resource economics. Cherrypicking is often done mechanically, but packing and processing relies on human labor. Ortega says producers and other stakeholders have seen how Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids make some workers afraid to show up because of deportation fears. Without enough agricultural workers, many of Michigan’s specialty crops could spoil.

Specialty crop farmers rely on shared equipment, facilities and workers, and this interdependency means the loss of one crop has a domino effect. Unlike farmers who grow annual crops such as grains, cherry trees can produce for nearly 30 years and farmers need to continually care for trees even when they lose money. Estimates by MSU show the land, operational and harvest costs for productive farmers is about 44 cents a pound, but last year the average farmer received 11 cents a pound for cherries.

Tariffs are a double-edged sword for Michigan farmers, Ortega says. Farmers will pay more for imported fertilizer or equipment, and tariff uncertainty makes it harder to plan. However, farmers may see a slight benefit from tariffs if it raises the costs of imported cherries, as the food industry relies on imports to meet year-round consumer demand, he adds.

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https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/05/cherry-pie-michigan-signature-crop

[markodochartaigh]

1. I have been buying dried cherries and blueberries

from Costco for years. But they are gone now. The guy at the desk just said that they are unavailable and he didn't know why.