Michigan Tart Cherry Growers Launch True Tart Label as Output Falls to 57% of US Crop
Updated
Updated · bridgemi.com · May 22
Michigan Tart Cherry Growers Launch True Tart Label as Output Falls to 57% of US Crop
1 articles · Updated · bridgemi.com · May 22
Michigan’s cherry industry is rolling out a “True Tart” label for US-grown Montmorency tart cherries, part of a unified marketing push to help growers recover from years of weak returns.
Production slid from 179 million pounds in 2022 to 134 million in 2023, while processor prices dropped to 22 cents a pound in 2023 from 49 cents in 2021 and grower costs rose to 44 cents in 2024.
Growers, the Cherry Industry Administrative Board and the Cherry Marketing Institute consolidated leadership in 2025 under Amy Cohn after a 2024 push to coordinate strategy and rebuild demand.
Frost then deepened the strain in 2025: Michigan harvested 109 million pounds, just 57% of US tart cherry output, and northwest Michigan production plunged 67% to 34 million pounds.
That smaller crop also cut inventories and lifted processor prices to as much as 60 cents a pound, with growers expecting similarly firm pricing for the 2026 harvest despite more freeze damage.
As weather volatility worsens, what climate-resilient farming innovations can ensure the future of America's tart cherry production?
Can a marketing campaign truly save Michigan's cherry industry from the escalating threats of climate change and global competition?