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<\/p>\nA spring storm has hit farmers in what many consider the cherry capital of the world. Early estimates show about 30% of cherries in San Joaquin County were damaged or destroyed by the storm that rolled through the region.<\/p>\n
The losses could prompt the San Joaquin County agricultural commissioner to seek a disaster declaration, asking the federal government to step in and help.<\/p>\n
“When you can’t harvest, I mean, that’s a hit for that year that you just you’re not going to recover,” said farmer Drew Cheney.<\/p>\n
Cheney, a resident of the rural community of Linden about a half-hour east of Lodi, has farmed cherries for decades.<\/p>\n
The recent spring storm left much of his crop destroyed.<\/p>\n
“When you have that much rain in that long a period, you can’t protect every cherry all the time, and so they’re going to split,” Cheney said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A Central Valley cherry farmer inspects his crops.<\/p>\n
Rain at the wrong time before harvest can cause cherries to split and quickly mold on the branches.<\/p>\n
Cheney has one saving grace: his u-pick orchard, where people can pick their own cherries, survived the storm because the fruit ripened right after the rain fell.<\/p>\n
“The fruit is just absolutely gorgeous,” Cheney said. “It’s just rich; it’s sweet, it’s beautiful. I mean, just are perfect. They taste so good.”<\/p>\n
The San Joaquin County Farm Bureau says the damage was widespread, but inconsistent.<\/p>\n
“Some people got hammered, and some people wasn’t so bad,” said Andrew Genasci, executive director of the bureau. “Field reps are saying probably right around 30 percent loss, on average.”<\/p>\n
That damage could lead to a disaster declaration, depending on what the agricultural commissioner determines.<\/p>\n
Lodi cherry farmer James Chinchiolo said he was lucky.<\/p>\n
“We analyzed them and we’re in a really fortunate position. I think we have roughly anywhere between 10 to 15 percent rain damage,” Chinchiolo said.<\/p>\n
He said most of his crop in Lodi survived, enough to put into production and enough to host his own u-pick.<\/p>\n
“I mean, there’s, there’s still a plethora of beautiful fruit,” Chinchiolo said.<\/p>\n
Between extreme weather and market fluctuations over the past few years, farmers say any support from the USDA would be welcome.<\/p>\n
“You put so much love into it that \u2026 you want it to succeed,” Cheney said. “When you can’t harvest it and you can’t share that with people, it just really hurts. It hurts.”<\/p>\n