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Cranberry crop might top USDA projections

Wisconsin’s cranberry growers might exceed yield projections this fall. 

USDA and Ocean Spray predict around 4.9 million barrels will be harvested this fall, but Wisconsin Cranberry Growers Association Executive Director Grant Holley tells Brownfield growers are more optimistic. “Now, we’ve been traveling around the state. We’re looking, and this late summer type weather here in Wisconsin has really plumped-up those berries and we’re fairly confident we’re definitely going to be above five million barrels this year, and maybe even a little bit north of that.”

Holley says the mild winter and spring storms had growers concerned, because unlike most crops, winter ice is a good thing for cranberries, and the vines were exposed to harsher winter elements. “If we can get ice on them, then they can survive cold snaps, but the way that last winter came in with only snaps, it was hard to keep ice on the plants, and you add that to some of that hail that we got early in the spring and we were a little nervous there for a little while.”

Holley says some of the southern bogs will start harvesting soon, but northern bogs are not quite ready. “I think it’s going to be another couple of weeks. They’re going to take this warm weather and they’re going to use it to be able to get those berries a little bit bigger. Then I think they’re going to be looking right at the start of October.” (to begin harvesting)

The U.S. is the top cranberry producer in the world, more than doubling second place Canada.  Sixty percent of U.S. production and 52% of world production comes from Wisconsin.  Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington round out the top five U.S. producers.

Audio: Grant Holley discusses the Wisconsin cranberry harvest outlook with Brownfield’s Larry Lee