Climate is Affecting Cranberry Production

BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. (WFHR / WIRI) – Wisconsin has led the nation in cranberry production for the past 30 years; however, the changing climate is affecting cranberry production.

This year growers in the state are projected to produce 5.3 million barrels. That is less than the 2024 harvest of six million barrels. Researchers at the Wisconsin Cranberry Research Station are studying degrees of temperatures that cranberries can tolerate.

Cranberry Research

Grant Holley is the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Cranberry Growers Association beginning in late 2023. He has a background as a high school science teacher and professor in science and AG education at North Carolina State University. Holley says cranberry research has changed focus a bit over the past year and a half in Wisconsin.

“Our researchers, seeing the handwriting on the wall and seeing how temperatures, the climate, not the weather, the climate is ticking its way up. They’ve started to move those research pieces over to heat tolerances,” says Holley.

With the shortened season, cranberry growers are looking at an average year of production. This year was likely on the border of what the fruit can tolerate in terms of heat and humidity for prolonged periods. Holley said if this is the average climate we can expect going forward, cranberry growers will probably be ok.

Holley continues, “If that degree keeps ticking a little bit higher and we keep getting warmer and more humidity, then we need to start to worry.”

Warmer Weather Means More Bugs

The worry with increased temperatures and humidity are bugs and pests cranberry crops haven’t had to worry about before. Higher temps and more humidity could cause bugs and pests to move from the south to more northern regions. Holley explains this isn’t likely to kill off the cranberry crops as they’re native to Wisconsin.

“Are the cranberries going to be fine? They are,” says Holley. “They grew up here, they’re made for Wisconsin. They’re not going to go extinct.”

Drop in Production

However, Holley said change to the climate is affecting cranberry production and could cause a drop off in the number of berries produced. Researchers are working to mitigate that as much as possible. But even with these challenges, Holley says Wisconsin isn’t likely to lose the cranberry crown anytime soon.

“We are producing about 67% of the nation’s cranberries, a little over half of the world’s cranberries,” says Holley.  He continues saying that Wisconsin is so dominant with cranberry production, there would need to be a big drop, and we’re not facing that right now.

“Are things going to get a little bit leaner, yeah, they are,” says Holley. “But we’re not going to lose that title. Wisconsin’s still going to be the home of the cranberry.”