Cherry Production ISSN: 1948-9072 Released June 23, 2011, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Tart Cherry Production Up 40 Percent United States tart cherry production is forecast at 266 million pounds, up 40 percent from the 2010 production. Michigan, the largest producing State, expects a larger crop than last year. Development of the crop was behind normal due to below average spring temperatures. The bloom was reported to be excellent despite cool, wet conditions which hampered pollination in many locations. Washington experienced cold weather and wet conditions in the spring. Frost was a problem during bloom and conditions were less than optimal for pollination. Utah production is expected to be above last year despite reports of wind damage. Maturation of the cherries was reported to be uneven with some cherries turning yellow. New York growers are expecting record low production. Lake Ontario growers reported that excessive rain and lack of pollination affected the production potential this year. The Finger Lakes area was impacted by heavy snowfall in the winter and cold temperatures in the spring. Pennsylvania growers are anticipating an average crop of tart cherries. Oregon's production was reported to be larger than the previous year, but not as large as two years ago due to cool, wet spring weather that limited bee activity and pollination. In Wisconsin, cool spring conditions led to a later and longer bloom than normal. Despite the cool weather, little frost damage was reported. Tart Cherry Production - States and United States: 2009, 2010, and Forecasted 2011 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- : Total production State :-------------------------------------------- : 2009 : 2010 : 2011 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- : million pounds : Michigan ................: 266.0 135.0 210.0 New York ................: 11.2 7.8 6.5 Oregon ..................: 3.2 1.2 1.7 Pennsylvania ............: 3.9 2.3 3.2 Utah ....................: 47.0 23.0 24.0 Washington ..............: 16.7 15.4 12.0 Wisconsin ...............: 10.9 5.7 8.7 : United States ...........: 358.9 190.4 266.1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Sweet Cherry Production Up 4 Percent United States sweet cherry production is forecast at 324,830 tons, up 4 percent from 2010. The Washington crop was running approximately two weeks later than normal due to cool weather however growers are still expecting a larger crop than last year. California experienced a relatively cool and moist growing season for cherries. Oregon experienced an unusually cool spring that pushed the crop behind by two to three weeks. A large number of flowering buds in Michigan indicated the potential for an above average production year. However, some growers reported low pollination problems due to a cool, wet spring. Idaho growers are expecting the sweet cherry production to rebound significantly from last year's freeze damaged crop. New York sweet cherry growers reported cold weather in the winter and a wet spring that brought record moisture before and after bloom. In Utah, sweet cherries, which bloom earlier than tart cherries, were damaged significantly by freezing temperatures. Sweet Cherry Production - States and United States: 2009, 2010, and Forecasted 2011 [Blank cells indicate estimation period has not yet begun] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- : Total production State :-------------------------------------------- : 2009 : 2010 : 2011 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- : tons : California 1/ ...........: 92,000 97,000 85,000 Idaho ...................: 6,000 1,900 3,800 Michigan ................: 28,700 15,100 19,000 Montana 2/ ..............: 2,390 2,470 New York ................: 1,240 1,000 930 Oregon ..................: 66,000 38,150 36,000 Utah ....................: 1,540 1,100 100 Washington ..............: 245,000 156,000 180,000 : United States ...........: 442,870 312,720 324,830 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Forecast carried forward from "Crop Production" released June 2011. 2/ The first estimate for 2011 sweet cherries in Montana will be published in the January 2012 "Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts 2011 Preliminary Summary." Statistical Methodology Survey Procedures: Grower surveys are conducted in 9 cherry estimating States during the growing season. Producers are contacted to obtain expected yield or production and their assessment of the current crop relative to a full crop. Telephone follow-up of mail survey non-respondents is used to ensure adequate coverage. Estimating Procedures: Information obtained from the cherry grower surveys along with federal administrative data is used to establish forecasts of total production. These forecasts are reviewed for errors, reasonableness, and consistency with historical estimates. Revision Policy: Cherry production forecasts will not be revised. End-of-season estimates of production are made following harvest and are subject to revision the following year based on a thorough review of all available data. Reliability: Survey indications are subject to sampling variability because all operations growing cherries are not included in the sample. Survey results are also 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 they 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 Debbie Flippin - Fresh and Processing Vegetables, Onions, Strawberries.. (202) 720-2157 Fred Granja - Apples, Apricots, Cherries, Plums, Prunes, Tobacco........ (202) 720-4288 Chris Hawthorn - Citrus, Coffee, Grapes, Sugar Crops, Tropical Fruits... (202) 720-5412 Dan Norris - Austrian Winter Peas, Dry Edible Peas, Lentils, Mints, Mushrooms, Peaches, Pears, Wrinkled Seed Peas, Dry Beans............. (202) 720-3250 Kim Ritchie - Hops...................................................... (360) 709-2400 Daphne Schauber - Berries, Cranberries, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes........ (202) 720-4285 Erika White - Floriculture, Maple Syrup, Nursery, Tree Nuts............. (202) 720-4215 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: http://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 http://www.nass.usda.gov and in the "Receive NASS Updates" box under "Receive reports by Email," click on "National" or "State" to select the reports you would like to receive. Printed reports may be purchased from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) by calling toll-free (800) 999-6779, or (703) 605-6220 if calling from outside the United States or Canada. Accepted methods of payment are Visa, MasterCard, check, or money order. 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 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, genetic information, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377- 8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.