HOOD RIVER, Ore. — Oregon cherry farmers are seeking access to critical resources and federal funding from state leaders amid a third bad crop season as a result of climate change.
Weather affected this year’s fruit and pushed California's huge harvest season back overlapping into Oregon's. And farmers are losing a lot of money as their typical month-long harvest season was cut to less than two weeks this year.
“Never have I had a time where I had to walk away from so many cherries and it’s really just devastating,” said Jeff Heater a cherry farmer and crop consultant. “ If you don’t get a chance to pick these cherries then you miss out on your one opportunity to get an income that year. The reason I didn’t pick is because I didn’t want to borrow more money and not be able to pay it back.”
Wasco and Hood River are Oregon's top-producing cherry counties in the state. And many this year harvested less than 75% of their crop. While other smaller growers left 50% or more of their cherries unpicked.
“It was perfect until it all fell apart and crashed overnight,” said Brad fowler, co-owner of Hood River Cherry Company. “You know everyone was left to their own misery. And so, we are a small community here — especially a small community of cherry growers.”
Hood River Cherry Company is celebrating its 30th year in the business. They pack about 100 tons of cherries every day — with their three orchards — some at higher elevations near Mount hood. But for about three weeks they stopped picking because there were too many cherries already on the market.
"You farm 12 months out of the year so to put that much time and effort into [it] and to see it all fall apart when we were so close,” said Fowler. “You know, we're kind of used to Mother Nature throwing curve balls at us but to see that fruit go to waste on the tree was pretty tough."
Now Hood River Rep. Jeff Helfrich is asking Governor Tina Kotek to declare a state disaster declaration for the cherry industry — to access critical resources and free up federal funding for these farmers.
“It’s really heartbreaking to hear that [farmers] are leaving fruit on trees and they’re not able to employ the seasonal workers like they normally would,” said Helfrich. “If I had the governor here now I would implore her and say we need to sign this order — please sign this order. We need this to happen to create relief. This could help the farming community make ends meet for the next year’s crop coming in.”
Helfrich spoke with the governor’s staff on Friday, they said they were looking at the best route to move forward.
But it’s not just farmers on the line here. Helfrich also serves as vice chair of the House Committee on housing and homelessness. He also said the troubled harvest season poses a risk to Oregon's severe housing shortage for agricultural labor workers.
"Wasco and Hood River provide two-thirds of the state's registered agricultural labor housing. This housing is provided for both farm workers and their families. Less cherry harvest work means less housing is available, adding to Oregon's precarious housing crisis," said Helfrich in a letter to the governor.
“Farmers are resilient,” said Fowler. “They have the ability to look at next year and have it hope eternal. And I think that’s what’s going to happen with the people that can’t afford it.”