In this episode of CropGPT – Fruits, we dive deep into the dramatic rise and fall of the U.S. tart cherry industry — from the record-breaking recovery of 2024 to the devastating collapse of 2025. Discover how Michigan’s dominance in tart cherry production, accounting for 75% of U.S. output, left the entire market vulnerable to a single spring freeze that wiped out nearly half the national crop.

We unpack the chain reaction that followed: catastrophic weather events, surging labor costs, pest infestations, and global supply shocks that reshaped the economics of specialty fruit farming. You’ll hear how climate volatility, from wind-chill-induced freezes to shifting La Niña patterns, is redefining the future of cherry production — and how growers are fighting back with technology, precision agriculture, and new adaptation strategies.

From frost protection failures to the rebirth of resilience in America’s cherry capital, this episode explores what the “boom-to-bust” cycle reveals about the broader climate and market risks threatening global agriculture.

Key topics:

• Michigan’s 2024 cherry surge and 2025 collapse
• Impact of April 2025 freeze and extreme wind conditions
• Labor shortages, H-2A wage pressures, and processing bottlenecks
• Price spikes and market substitution (cranberry, blueberry)
• Outlook for the 2026 season amid low inventories
• Climate adaptation, La Niña forecasts, and the future of frost protection