Despite an up-and-down growing season, Wisconsin and Massachusetts cranberry growers are optimistic about the upcoming harvest. Earlier this month, the USDA projected Massachusetts growers would produce a record 2.4 million barrels of cranberries this year, up about 11% from last year. Overall, the agency anticipates nearly 9 million barrels of fruit will be harvested nationwide, up about 13% from last year. A barrel equals 100 pounds of cranberries.
Brian Wick is the executive director for the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association. Last Thursday he said that local growers expect to produce more than two million barrels of fruit this year; roughly 1% more over last year's harvest.
However, eu.wisfarmer.com reports how Wick cautions that the USDA estimates are based on information gathered from growers earlier in the year. He said a more accurate projection of crop production comes from the Cranberry Marketing Committee, a federally-authorized industry group based in Wareham, Massachusetts.
According to this week’s projections by the US Cranberry Marketing Committee (CMC), Wisconsin growers will harvest an estimated 5.56 million barrels of fruit this fall. This would mark the 26th consecutive year that Wisconsin has led the nation in cranberry production.
Cranberry Marketing Committee presents new members
At its August 11 summer meeting, the Cranberry Marketing Committee announced new membership for the term beginning August 1, 2020 through July 31, 2022.
The CMC is a federal marketing order that promotes the worldwide consumption of U.S. cranberries. Its membership includes 13 voting members and nine alternate members from the U.S. cranberry industry who represent growers in four designated districts from the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Central and Western regions of the United States. CMC membership also includes one public voting member and one alternate public member. CMC members are nominated to 2-year terms and submitted for official selection by the USDA Secretary.