Heat is cherry growers’ biggest nemesis, and they’re already preparing for this summer

Cherry growers are looking ahead to this season, but weather will be a big variable this year.

Growers dealt with a lot of heat waves last year, which led to twice as much fruit at one time.

“That heat pushed that fruit forward and we had a week of it right over the 4th of July. You know, and that’s just a sustained issue that, as an industry, there’s not a lot we can do, but there are mitigation tactics that our scientific community is working on and, you know, I think it’s going to be critical moving forward no matter what,” said BJ Thurlby.

Thurlby tells aginfo.net that temperatures in the 90s are tolerable for cherries but it is a different story when the mercury hits triple digits.

Related Stories
Longtime MLF pro angler Fred “Boom Boom” Roumbanis shares how he and Jeff Sprague of Team YETI are preparing for the Team Series Summit Cup.
AFBF economist Faith Parum breaks down the potential impact of the proposed policy change to allow year-round sales of E15 biofuel.
Learn the conditions farmers must meet to qualify for this new three-year tax deferral on farmland sales, how much it could save, and other details to consider.
Bass Pro Anglers Jacob Wall and Bobby Lane will fish together in the Summit Cup after facing elimination in the Challenge Cup Knockout Round.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Concerns over Chronic Wasting Disease are fueling a long-standing legal battle between Minnesota regulators and deer farmers. The case could soon reach the state’s Supreme Court with broader implications for agriculture.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) are praising the passage of a bill to delist gray wolves as an endangered species by the U.S. House last week.
Recent USDA export sales data show China has been active in the U.S. market, but analysts tell RFD-TV News that the timing is a key clue.
USDA Undersecretary Luke Lindberg told RFD-TV News that we can only guess what Congress will do down the road. Still, the USDA recognizes its responsibility to spend resources efficiently and effectively.
Tight feeder supplies and lower placements indicate continued support for the cattle market, with regional impacts heightened in Texas by reduced feeder imports.
Agriculture Shows
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.
Champions of Rural America is a half-hour dive into the legislative priorities for Rural America. Join us as we interview members of the Congressional Western Caucus to learn about efforts in Washington to preserve agriculture and tackles the most important topics in the ag industry on Champions of Rural America!
Featuring members of Congress, federal and state officials, ag and food leaders, farmers, and roundtable panelists for debates and discussions.