Souring Climate:
Can the next generation of Michigan cherry growers adapt?
As earlier blooms expose cherries to frost, an industry searches for a solution.
and
Each summer, hundreds of thousands of visitors travel to Traverse City, Michigan for the National Cherry Festival. The region proudly calls itself the “Cherry Capital of the World,” producing the majority of tart cherries grown in the United States. Yet, behind the celebration, local cherry growers face mounting uncertainty. Weather patterns have become increasingly unpredictable, pests have spread into new regions, and global competition has tightened already-thin industry margins.
After graduating with a degree in sustainability science, Avery Porter returns home to the Leelanau Peninsula to take over the family cherry farm as her parents prepare for retirement. The farm has survived decades of volatile harvests, shifting markets, and agricultural challenges. But recent years have brought unprecedented crop losses tied to unusual weather patterns.
Avery believes that adapting to climate change is essential for the farm’s future. Her parents, however, hold a different view. Farming has always involved risk, and the family has endured difficult seasons before. Investing heavily in new technologies or experimental practices, they argue, could jeopardize the farm financially.
As Avery prepares to assume control of the farm, she faces a difficult question: how should she invest the farm’s limited resources to prepare for an uncertain climate future?
Note: This version of “Souring Climate” has been modified for use in the Climate Solutions series developed by the University of Michigan's Center for Academic Innovation in collaboration with Professor Rajiv Ghimire. The original can be found here at https://www.learngala.com/cases/michigan-cherry-growers.
Javascript is required to use Gala.