December 2021 - 35

CHERRY MARKETING INSTITUTE
Relationships, partnerships drive sustainable future
JULIE GORDON
President
Cherry Marketing Institute
www.choosecherries.com
We just recently wrapped up the
2020/21 fiscal year and completed our
financial audits. Our overall funding
was 44% less than the previous fiscal
year, due to the short crop in 2020.
This year, Michigan's tart cherry crop
came in better than expected at
95.2 million pounds and the total
sweet cherry crop was 16.7 million
pounds.
As many of you know, labor has
been a widespread problem across
all agricultural sectors for several
years. Labor issues have compounded
because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
If we would have had a full crop
the past couple of years, the cherry
industry would have struggled to have
enough labor to process it. While
growers struggled to harvest their
crops, the processing plants could
not hire enough bodies to run at full
capacity, let alone multiple shifts. The
labor struggle has now become an
epidemic across the nation.
Pre-pandemic, I traveled abroad
with the Michigan Department of
Agriculture and Rural Development
and USDA, promoting Montmorency
tart cherries. The goal was to keep
the U.S. tart cherry industry at the
forefront of a global market. While
the pandemic has had some effect on
how we conduct business abroad, our
in-country representatives in China,
the United Kingdom and South Korea
continue to promote and market U.S.
Montmorency tart cherries. Together,
we are all trying to keep an eye on
what is happening around the globe.
Recently, the Michigan
Agri-Business Association hosted a
forum on supply chain issues, looking
ahead to 2022 and beyond. Whether
we want it or not, things are going
to change. The current struggle with
labor, and increased supply chain
issues, has undoubtedly become
a worldwide problem that almost
everyone is going to have to learn to
navigate through. The ripple effect
around the world is going to force us
all to learn to be patient, flexible and
drive us to adapt to change.
The cherry industry must continue
to work together, remain resilient
and keep the faith. Our industry is
positioned quite well right now to
tackle the ongoing challenges, as well
as the new ones. With every challenge
is an opportunity. We have extremely
dedicated and driven board members
on the Michigan Cherry Committee
(MCC) and Cherry Marketing
Institute (CMI) that will help get
the cherry industry through these
unprecedented times.
We are also fortunate to have three
extremely devoted chairpersons
leading the pack. Dave Smeltzer,
chairman of the MCC, continues to
strategize through every challenge to
protect the interest of all sweet and
tart and cherry growers in the state of
Michigan. He has been a phenomenal
leader and mentor to the new board
members over the past couple of years
and his expertise and dedication are
exactly what you want and need in a
leader. Mike VanAgtmael, chair of the
CMI Board, is extremely devoted to the
cherry industry. He is always available,
and always willing to help and listen.
Mike has dedicated countless hours the
last couple of years to navigate through
the pandemic and help work through
the various problems the cherry
industry has faced.
I could say many more wonderful
things about both Dave and Mike,
and all our board members for that
matter. These devoted individuals have
volunteered a tremendous amount of
time for the betterment of the U.S. tart
cherry industry. Curtis Rowley, newly
appointed chairman of the Cherry
Industry Administrative Board,
has spent the last couple of months
learning from his predecessors, USDA
and industry stakeholders. He is
willing, eager and open to adopting
change to move the industry forward
in a positive way. I am looking forward
to continuing working with Curtis this
next year.
These outstanding leaders are going
to get us through the challenges we
are currently facing and new ones that
await us. They not only have " skin
in the game, " but they are also very
resolute and driven to make sure that
the hard-working U.S. cherry growers
and generational cherry farms not
only survive but thrive. Relationships
and partnerships are going to play a
key role in building back a robust and
sustainable future for the U.S. tart
cherry industry.
The Michigan Cherry Committee
referendum will take place in February
2022. To learn more about all the
programs that the MCC and CMI
administer, make sure that we have your
email address for our electronic grower
newsletters. Furthermore, please attend
the CMI annual grower meeting.
The CMI's 33rd annual grower
meeting is scheduled for Wednesday,
Jan. 19, 2022, at the Grand Traverse
Resort in Acme, Michigan.
Presentations will start at 9 a.m., and
include highlights from the 2021
National Cherry Festival, domestic and
international promotion programs'
year-end results, a summary of the
work and accomplishments for all the
programs that are administered by CMI
and the goals for this next fiscal year.
The morning session will conclude
with a short program during lunch.
The luncheon is free to all cherry
growers, processors and marketers.
To RSVP for the luncheon and/or the
CMI electronic newsletters, please
call 517-669-4264 or email Marissa
Oakley at moakley@usacherries.com.
We hope to see you there.
Wishing everyone a safe and blessed
holiday season! FGN
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FGN | DECEMBER 2021 | 35
http://www.choosecherries.com http://www.fruit-treesales.com
December 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2021
