Northwest cherry harvest down with the temps

By SHANNON DININNY Associated Press Writer

YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) - Fresh cherry pie on the Fourth of July? Maybe not on the East Coast this year, and consumers can blame freezing spring temperatures in the Northwest.

An April cold snap damaged pockets of the five-state cherry-growing region, and farmers are estimating their crop will be down 15 percent to 20 percent this year. Even more significant: The harvest will fall later in the season, which could make it more difficult for East Coast supermarkets to get a full supply in time for the midsummer holiday.

The harvest traditionally peaks in the third week of June.

"We're going to have 60 percent of our crop, maybe 65 percent, fall in July this year," said B.J. Thurlby, president of the Northwest Cherry Growers, a promotional group. "The East Coast consumer is probably going to be shortchanged at the end of June, and it's going to be hard for some stores to get cherries by the Fourth of July."

Sweet cherries are grown on 52,000 acres in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Utah, with Washington producing roughly half of the U.S. crop alone. Northwest growers harvested a record 147,800 tons, or 14.9 million boxes, in 2006, then nearly matched that a year later with 147,200 tons.

This year, the crop is estimated at 120,290 tons, or about 12 million boxes. Each standard box weighs 20 pounds.

The whir of wind machines and glow of oil-burning smudge pots - anything to keep the buds from freezing - were a clear sign that spring wasn't kind to cherry growers this year, Thurlby said.

"It's just been ridiculous, this cold weather," he said.

At the same time, he said, consumers could see larger cherries this year.

"These trees have been thinned by Mother Nature, and when we see smaller crops, traditionally we see great-sized cherries," Thurlby said.

California, the first area to harvest, anticipates a crop of 7 million to 8 million boxes, slightly more than last year. Growers there also say they have a heavier early crop, which will get a good volume of cherries to consumers early.

Parts of the Northwest region also haven't been hit as hard by the cool spring temperatures. Idaho's crop is expected to nearly triple, from 1,000 to 2,800 tons, while Utah will likely remain in the 500-ton range. Montana's crop could decline slightly, from about 1,500 tons last year to 1,400 tons this season.

Washington has been hardest hit by the weather. Growers anticipate the harvest will be down nearly 27 percent, from 124,000 tons last year to just 91,000 this year.

However, because Washington has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, the crop still will be among the third- or fourth-largest ever recorded, Thurlby said.

Washington sweet cherry acreage has increased from 30,000 to 36,000 acres in the past five years alone.

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LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A highly contagious swine virus has been detected on a privately owned game ranch in the Flint/Tri-Cities area, state officials said.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture's Geagley Laboratory confirmed the outbreak of pseudorabies at the ranch, which has 19 sport swine. All swine on the Saginaw County ranch will be captured and destroyed.

Officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services branch are trapping and euthanizing feral swine in the area.

"We must protect Michigan's $230 million swine industry," said Don Koivisto, state agriculture director. "Michigan achieved PRV-free status in 2000, and the ability of this disease to be spread by feral hogs to other animals could be a risk to the swine industry."

That status should remain intact as long as Michigan's commercial swine operations remain free of the virus, officials said.

Pseudorabies is a highly contagious viral disease that kills newborn piglets. In rare cases, it can cause sudden death in cats and dogs. It also can sicken cattle, sheep and deer, but does not hurt people. Despite its name, the virus is not related to rabies.