Government Supports WA Cherry Growers After Heat Wave

Washington’s sweet cherry growers are eligible for federal disaster relief loans after the sector incurred nearly a $100 million loss across roughly 1,500 cherry farms because of extreme heat, reports The Seattle Times.

Farmers can apply for loans of up to $500,000 through the USDA’s natural disaster division, said Sen. Maria Cantwell, Sen. Patty Murray, and Rep. Kim Schrier.

“Last year, Washington’s cherry growers lost around half their crop to extreme weather. Now, as they prepare to kick off their new season, this disaster designation from the secretary of Agriculture will help growers access federal assistance to keep this $1 billion industry going—and ensure Washington’s famously delicious sweet cherries make it into shopping carts,” said Cantwell in a statement.

Jon DeVaney, president of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association, explained recently that the cherry loss problem was due to too much heat at once. The cold weather last winter gave way to an unseasonably warm May, according to the report.

“We had all the trees blooming all at once… These cherries are highly perishable, and growers have a short window to harvest and get to market,” said DeVaney. “The fruit looked great and would have been delicious, but there was no market for it. I can’t eat three months of cherries in two weeks.” Full Story