Spring freezes have slashed U.S. cherry production in 2026, with the Cherry Industry Administrative Board projecting overall output nearly 60% below last year's levels. A disaster designation request is in the works to support affected growers and processors. Amy Cohn, president of the Cherry Industry Administrative Board, is among those leading the push for federal relief.
This is one of the most severe domestic cherry crop losses in recent memory. The damage compounds an already difficult stone fruit season, with earlier reports pointing to frost losses in Montana and lighter Washington supply — but this CIAB projection puts a hard number on the full national picture for the first time.
Watch for continued tightening in cherry availability and pricing at retail through the remainder of the season. Buyers sourcing domestic cherries should expect limited promotional windows, and the disaster designation outcome will be worth tracking for what it signals about grower attrition heading into 2027.