Cherry Production ISSN: 1948-9072 Released June 9, 2017, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Tart Cherry Production Down 23 Percent United States tart cherry production is forecast at 238 million pounds, down 23 percent from the 2016 production. In Michigan, the largest producing State, growers are still assessing damage from an early May freeze event but expect an average crop. Utah growers reported a less than average crop this year. Some growers reporting low production cited freeze and frost at bloom. In Wisconsin, the season has been wet and cool, which may have hurt pollination. There was a frost in early May but it appears to have only caused modest damage. New York growers anticipate a less than average crop this year with widely varied yields. In Washington, growers reported moderate spring temperatures and moisture and expect harvest to begin later than normal. Tart Cherry Production - States and United States: 2015, 2016, and Forecasted 2017 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- : Total production State :-------------------------------------------- : 2015 : 2016 : 2017 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- : million pounds : Michigan ................: 158.0 222.7 164.5 New York ................: 10.5 8.0 9.0 Oregon 1/ ...............: 1.5 (NA) (NA) Pennsylvania 1/ .........: 7.5 (NA) (NA) Utah ....................: 40.7 43.0 29.0 Washington ..............: 25.0 24.4 25.3 Wisconsin ...............: 9.3 11.0 10.4 : United States ...........: 252.5 309.1 238.2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (NA) Not available. 1/ Estimates discontinued in 2016. Sweet Cherry Production Up 36 Percent United States sweet cherry production is forecast at 432,760 tons, up 36 percent from 2016. In California, growers expect the best crop in recent years following several seasons of droughts and low yields. Harvest began near the normal late-April timeframe after two years of early crops. Growers in Oregon and Washington reported a good crop due to a moderate spring with warm temperatures. In Michigan, growers are still assessing damage from an early May freeze event but expect an average crop. Sweet Cherry Production - States and United States: 2015, 2016, and Forecasted 2017 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- : Total production State :-------------------------------------------- : 2015 : 2016 : 2017 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- : tons : California ..............: 60,100 60,000 99,000 Idaho 1/ ................: 1,810 (NA) (NA) Michigan ................: 13,430 21,000 18,760 Montana 1/ ..............: 740 (NA) (NA) New York 1/ .............: 770 (NA) (NA) Oregon ..................: 38,700 42,000 60,000 Utah 1/ .................: 230 (NA) (NA) Washington ..............: 222,650 195,000 255,000 : United States ...........: 338,430 318,000 432,760 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (NA) Not available. 1/ Estimates discontinued in 2016. Statistical Methodology Survey Procedures: Grower surveys were conducted in 7 cherry estimating States. Producers were contacted to obtain expected yield or production. Telephone follow-up of mail survey non-respondents was used to ensure adequate coverage. Estimating Procedures: Information obtained from the cherry grower surveys were used to establish estimates of sweet and tart cherries. These estimates were reviewed for errors, reasonableness, and consistency with historical estimates and industry check data. Revision Policy: All sweet and tart cherry estimates are subject to revision the following year based on a thorough review of all available data. Reliability: Survey results are subject to non-sampling errors such as omission, duplication, imputation for missing data, and mistakes in reporting, recording, and processing the data. These errors cannot be measured directly, but are minimized through rigid quality controls in the data collection process and a careful review of all reported data for consistency and reasonableness. Information Contacts Listed below are the commodity statisticians in the Crops Branch of the National Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information. E-mail inquiries may be sent to nass@nass.usda.gov Lance Honig, Chief, Crops Branch..................................................... (202) 720-2127 Jorge Garcia-Pratts, Head, Fruits, Vegetables and Special Crops Section.............. (202) 720-2127 Vincent Davis - Fresh and Processing Vegetables, Onions, Strawberries, Sugarbeets, Sugarcane, Cherries...................................................... (202) 720-2157 Fleming Gibson - Citrus, Coffee, Tropical Fruits................................ (202) 720-5412 Greg Lemmons - Berries, Cranberries, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes .................. (202) 720-4285 Dan Norris - Austrian Winter Peas, Dry Edible Peas, Lentils, Mint, Mushrooms, Peaches, Pears, Wrinkled Seed Peas, Dry Beans .................. (202) 720-3250 Daphne Schauber - Floriculture, Grapes, Hops, Maple Syrup, Nursery, Tree Nuts .. (202) 720-4215 Chris Singh - Apples, Apricots, Plums, Prunes, Tobacco ......................... (202) 720-4288 Access to NASS Reports For your convenience, you may access NASS reports and products the following ways: All reports are available electronically, at no cost, on the NASS web site: www.nass.usda.gov Both national and state specific reports are available via a free e- mail subscription. To set-up this free subscription, visit www.nass.usda.gov and click on "National" or "State" in upper right corner above "search" box to create an account and select the reports you would like to receive. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Agricultural Statistics Hotline at (800) 727-9540, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, or e-mail: nass@nass.usda.gov. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.