Leisa Eckerle Hankins, owner of Benjamin Twiggs, has initiated the 'Michigan Cherry Growers Alliance'. The Hankins family has cultivated cherries for five generations since the 1800s. Currently, cherry growers are encountering significant challenges, primarily concerning the compensation for their harvests.
Eckerle Hankins said the number one challenge cherry growers face is what they are being paid for their crops. She said last year farmers saw cherries going for only 11 to 20 cents per pound, while 25 to 30 cents is considered a profitable rate to survive.
The alliance aims to enhance transparency and collective bargaining power at the legislative level. "Transparency will get to accountability. And so, we all understand what our accountability is as growers. What's the accountability on those major organizations representing the growers and the industry? What expectations do we have from the industry?" she added.
Warren Call, President & CEO of Traverse Connect, acknowledged the formation of the alliance, emphasizing that if the cherry industry isn't sustainable, more people will get out, and they want to stop that from happening.
Source: 9and10news.com