Cherries will soon have a new salesperson.
And they may have a new spokesperson.
Two industry bodies that have for several years relied upon a Chicago area public relations firm to promote domestic cherry consumption are on the verge of hiring a new company. They are also having serious discussions about hiring one person to speak on behalf of the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (CIAB) and Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI), and other cherry-related organizations.
“I think the biggest positive thing in the industry is a collective thought of all of us working together toward common goals,” said Emily Miezio, Suttons Bay Township resident, principle in familyowned Cherry Bay Orchards, and chair of the CMI board. “Open communication, working with growers and having these boards working together is a positive direction.”
Both bodies have been in discussions with Curious Plot, a Minneapolis firm whose roots go back to the Land O’Lakes member-owned agri-cooperative.
“We needed some fresh eyes and some different ideas,” Miezio said. Committees from the boards reviewed four proposals.
Growers ultimately pay for cherry promotion through perpound assessments on their crops collected for CMI and CIAB. Miezio said basing revenue sources on production creates variance in how much money can be spent on promotion. Annual advertising budgets typically have fallen between $500,000 and $1 million, she added.
Funding from assessments also helps pay for research, grower relations and administration, Miezio said.
Sales of domestic-grown cherries have been stagnant in recent years, unable to account for a backlog of product. Domestic sales of tart cherries not purchased by the federal government decreased from 181 million pounds in 2022-23 to 176.9 million pounds during the last fiscal year.
On the positive side, the U.S. Department of Agriculture bought nearly 53 million pounds of tarts for school lunches, food banks and other uses. Those buys were the primary reason that the carryover of unsold tart cherry decreased from 137.1 million pounds a year ago to 93.1 million pounds headed into next month’s harvest.
The CIAB at its meeting Thursday held in Grand Rapids approved a marketing order requiring that 19.5%of the harvest be destroyed or sold through non-traditional markets. While not a record by any means — a bumper crop in 2009 resulted in a 68% set-aside — it represents a notable increase from the 6% ratio last season.
No set-asides were placed on cherry production from 202022.
A recommendation emerging from a meeting of farmers who have formed the Cherry Grower Alliance was fulfilled with the decision.
“It was clear that the CIAB listened to the Cherry Grower Alliance as they made their decisions regarding carry over and restriction,” said Leisa Eckerle Hankins, a generational cherry grower from Leelanau County who is organizing alliance meetings. “Wesaidwe wanted higher restriction — 20%— and lower carry over. Our work is not done (as) now we work on the grower price.”
Heather Weber, CIAB executive director, also considered the CIAB meeting a positive step toward repairing an industry facing adversity. Growers’ receipts in recent years have not covered their costs, leading some to pull tart cherry orchards.
“It went well, I’m hoping that grower/processor relationships build. I know the growers are having discussions and becoming more involved with their processors. The days of just delivering fruit are over,” Weber said.
She agrees with a concept gaining momentum among CIAB and CMI members to hire one person to represent the cherry industry — and has taken herself out of the search. She plans to remain as executive director of CIAB.
“I will not be that person, and I have already made that known to the (CIAB) chairman.,” Weber said “Hopefully, things will work out. It’s hard when you are out there farming, putting so much effort into growing a crop, while everyone’s costs have gone up including processors. I’ve worked too long for the industry for things not to work out. I want to see everyone succeed, whether they are a grower or a processor,.”
Miezio appreciates Weber’s commitment to cherries.
“Heather forever will have a place in the cherry industry, and she knows that. She’s invaluable,” she said.
Having one cherry spokesperson — someone who can become the face of the industry, representing growers, processors and several cherrybased organizations — has appeal, she added.
“I think that would pull us toward each other,” Miezio said.
The CMI and CIAB organizations work out of the same building in Okemos.
