The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing volume control for the 2019-20 crop year under the marketing order for tart cherries grown in seven states.
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. The announced volume control establishes a free percentage of 67% and restricted percentage of 33% for the current crop year under the marketing order regulating handling of tart cherries grown in Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.
The board recommended the seasonal volume regulation to avoid a drop in prices due to oversupply. Free percentage cherries can be used to supply any available market, including domestic markets for pie filling, water packed and frozen tart cherries. Restricted percentage cherries must be redirected either in orchard or at the processing plant to be sold as exports, used for new product development, used for new market development or held in reserve. Cherries held in reserve will not be counted as free inventory and will remain in reserve until there is an industry request for a release.
The final rule for this action was published in the Federal Register on July 8, 2020.
More information about the marketing order regulating the handling of tart cherries is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service 930 Tart Cherries webpage.
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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