Press release (USDA) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing a rule to establish the free and restricted percentages of tart cherries that handlers may purchase from, or handle on behalf of, growers during the 2023-24 crop year. The proposed rule would apply to tart cherries grown in Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.

This action would set the free percentage of tart cherries at 94% and the restricted percentage at 6%.   The free percentage represents the proportion of the crop that may ship to any market. The restricted percentage of cherries represents the proportion that must be held in reserve, diverted in the orchard or at the processing plant, or used in secondary markets. The Cherry Industry Administrative Board recommended this action to balance expected supply and demand for the 2023-24 crop year.

The proposed rule for this action was published in the Federal Register on April 19, 2024. Written comments are due by May 20, 2024. All comments on the proposed rule submitted by the deadline will be made available for public review and will be considered before publication of a final rule.

More information about the marketing order regulating the handling of tart cherries is available on the 930 Tart Cherries webpage on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) website.

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