NextFin news, Wisconsin cranberry growers announced on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, that they anticipate price drops for their 2025 cranberry crop due to tariffs imposed during former President Donald Trump's administration. This development comes even as Wisconsin is projected to harvest 5.3 million barrels of cranberries this year, marking its 31st consecutive year as the nation's leading cranberry producer.
The United States produces approximately two-thirds of the world's cranberries, with Wisconsin contributing over 60% of the national supply. According to Grant Holley, Executive Director of the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers, about one-third of the U.S. cranberry crop is sold internationally, with China being a significant market.
Holley stated, "The cranberry industry has worked in recent years to expand international markets and grow global demand for U.S. cranberries. Global trade certainly plays a role for our growers." However, ongoing trade tensions and tariffs between the U.S. and China, a major importer of U.S. cranberries, have created uncertainty for growers. In 2024, China was the fourth largest individual market for U.S. cranberries, importing $41 million worth, roughly 12% of total U.S. cranberry exports.
In the 2024 fiscal year, the U.S. exported $351 million in cranberries and related products, a 2% increase over the five-year average from 2019 to 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service. Despite this growth, the tariffs are expected to contribute to lower prices for growers in 2025.
Holley noted, "Like many others, growers are feeling economic pressures from a variety of directions right now. Tariffs are one factor in that mix and are contributing to the smaller prices growers are anticipating for their crop this year." Additional challenges include rising production costs for larger hybrid cranberry varieties and unpredictable weather patterns linked to climate change.
Wisconsin's cranberry industry generates nearly $1 billion annually and supports over 4,000 jobs statewide, according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension. Although the 2025 cranberry production forecast of 5.3 million barrels is slightly lower than the 6.01 million barrels harvested in 2024, it still represents about 65% of the total U.S. cranberry supply.
Cranberries are harvested primarily from mid-September through November, with peak harvest in October. The process involves flooding cranberry bogs to dislodge the fruit, which is then collected. Wisconsin's sandy, acidic soils and seasonal climate provide ideal conditions for cranberry cultivation, supporting more than 250 farms across 20 central and northern counties.
The cranberry industry in Wisconsin has a rich history dating back centuries, with Native Americans harvesting wild cranberries long before Wisconsin became a state. Commercial cranberry production began in the early 1850s, and mechanized harvesting started around 1950, enabling mass production.
Despite the challenges posed by tariffs and economic pressures, Wisconsin cranberry growers continue to innovate and invest in sustainable practices to maintain the state's leadership in cranberry production.
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