Michigan’s cherry producers have approved a referendum to continue the Michigan Cherry Promotion and Development Program, Gary McDowell, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development announced Monday.
Established in May 1972, the Michigan Cherry Promotion and Development Program was developed to improve the economic position of the state’s cherry producers by creating greater marking opportunities for Michigan cherries. By law, the program must be renewed every five years.
The Michigan Cherry Promotion and Development Program will continue for an additional five years beginning July 1, 2022. The current program assessment is $10 per ton for processed sweet or tart cherries and $5 per ton for processed cherries sold for juice.
There were 168 qualified ballots cast in the referendum. Of those, 123 producers voted yes (73 percent) representing 100,972,599 pounds of cherries (81 percent of the production volume represented) and 45 producers voted no (27 percent) representing 23,576,584 pounds (19 percent).
For renewal of the program and its activities, more than 50 percent of the voting producers, representing more than 50 percent of the pounds sold by those voting, must have approved it.
For more information on Michigan cherries, visit their website at https://www.choosecherries.com/
