The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that tart cherry producers and processors voted to continue their marketing order program for tart cherries produced in Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. The marketing order requires a continuance referendum be held every six years.
During a referendum held March 9 – March 30, 2020, 53% of eligible producers and 57% of eligible processors voted in favor of continuing the marketing order. Those voting in favor of continuation represented 68% of the volume produced and 69% of the volume processed by those voting. For the marketing order to continue, more than 50% of the growers and processors voting in the referendum or more than 50% of the tart cherry volume represented in the referendum needed to vote in favor of the marketing order.
The marketing order enables the tart cherry industry and the Cherry Industry Administrative Board to conduct production and marketing research, promotional initiatives and volume control, under USDA’s oversight. These authorities under the marketing order support the industry’s effort to thrive in a competitive marketplace. More information about this marketing order is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) 930 Tart Cherries webpage, the AMS Marketing Orders and Agreements webpage or by contacting the Marketing Order and Agreement Division at (202) 720-2491.
Authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, marketing orders are industry-driven programs that help producers and handlers achieve marketing success by leveraging their own funds to design and execute programs that they would not be able to do individually. The Agricultural Marketing Service provides oversight to 29 fruit vegetable and specialty crops marketing orders and agreements, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
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