In northern Michigan, cherry growers recall 2012 and 2024 as notably challenging years. The tart cherry sector experienced a total crop failure in 2012, while 2024 saw the USDA issue a disaster declaration for the sweet cherry industry.
Despite the difficulties of 2024, the Michigan Cherry Grower Alliance emerged, founded by Leisa Eckerle-Hankins. The group aims to foster collaboration among cherry growers for future industry improvements. Eckerle-Hankins initiated the alliance to combat a sense of pessimism. In March, she convened 65 growers at Townline Ciderworks in Williamsburg, leading to regular meetings and engagement with lawmakers and industry groups such as the Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI) and the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (CIAB).
By April 2025, the Cherry Grower Alliance influenced industry developments, including the appointment of Amy Cohn as the new CIAB and CMI president and the hiring of marketing firm Curious Plot. Cohn, with experience at General Mills, focuses on health and nutrition markets, while Curious Plot specializes in the food and agriculture sectors.
Eckerle-Hankins expresses optimism about the new direction, particularly with Curious Plot's involvement. "We'd had the same marketing approach for the cherry industry for like 15 years, and it just felt like things hadn't moved forward. They were still kind of stale," she notes.
The alliance also addresses pricing concerns. Eckerle-Hankins states, "30-35 cents per pound [for tart cherries] is probably the minimum of what we can survive on as growers." Current prices range from 12 to 20 cents, but there is a consensus on the need for higher prices.
The 2024 crop shortfall may benefit growers by increasing demand for 2025 crops. Eckerle-Hankins mentions, "most of the cherries that have been in storage have been sold, and that's a good thing, because it will bring the price up a little bit."
Weather patterns in 2025 suggest a normal season, reducing the risk of late freezes. However, challenges persist, including tariffs on potash, a key fertilizer. Eckerle-Hankins highlights the impact: "85 percent of it is coming from Canada, and now, Canada has put a retaliatory tariff on that."
Source: the Ticker
