The San Joaquin County Agricultural Commissioner has circulated a survey among local farmers to document the extent of crop loss.

Cherry season has arrived, but for many growers in California’s Central Valley, this year’s crop has brought anxiety alongside the usual celebration.

Farmers in San Joaquin County are facing what could be a light cherry harvest, prompting local officials to consider requesting a disaster declaration from the state. If approved, the declaration could open the door to financial assistance for growers impacted by the extreme weather that disrupted this year’s production.

“Cherry season is just a roller coaster of emotions,” said James Chinchiolo, Vice President of the San Joaquin County Farm Bureau Federation and owner of Lodi Blooms, a 'u-pick' cherry farm in Lodi. “Overall, it’s a much lighter crop.”

According to Chinchiolo, industry leaders are estimating that this year's crop statewide could be down by 50%.

He says a combination of factors stressed the trees and disrupted pollination. Several days of triple-digit heat last summer, combined with wind and rain during the pollination period this spring, led to smaller yields across the region.

“Last summer, the summer of 2024, we had multiple days over 100 degrees and it placed quite a bit of stress on these trees, and the thought is from the hormonal standpoint, that these trees moved into more of a survival mode rather than a reproductive mode,” Chinchiolo said. “And during pollination, there was quite a bit of rain — and more than the rain, there was quite a bit of wind.”

Chinchiolo is preparing to open his cherry farm for its annual "u-pick" season on May 16. It'll be after an anticipated May storm in the forecast for next week, amid a critical time for the cherry harvest.

“This is not the time when we want to think about any rain,” Chinchiolo said. “The forecast shows not much rain... I’m cautious. We’ll have everything set up and ready to go if we need to come out here and blow these trees off.”

The San Joaquin County Agricultural Commissioner is currently surveying farmers to assess the scale of the losses. While the commissioner has declined to comment publicly, a formal request to the state for disaster relief could be submitted once the data is finalized. 

A crop loss of over 30% is required to submit the request. There is currently no timeline for when that request might be made.

“Farmers want to stay as much free enterprise as possible,” Chinchiolo said. “At the same time, we’re not going to turn away support.”

Despite the challenges, some growers say there is a silver lining. With fewer cherries on each tree, those that did grow are benefiting from more available nutrients.

“Right now, these cherries are nice and big, firm," said Chinchiolo. "The sugar levels are way up."

Not every orchard is reporting losses. Drew Cheney, who runs a U-pick cherry operation near Linden, said some varieties are thriving.

“These trees, they act a little differently. These are Hazels and Lins and they’re really just doing wonderfully this year,” Cheney said. “With these microclimates and where things are, folks really could maybe have a complete loss in one area and have a bumper crop in another.”

Cheney's farm, Machado Family Farms, is set to open for the season on May 10, ahead of the late-season rain.

As the season continues, farmers remain hopeful but cautious.

“I think cherries are the most exhilarating, the most stressful,” Chinchiolo said. "It's a ride, there's no doubt about it."

Source - https://www.abc10.com