Latest news with #JamesChinchiolo
CBS News
27-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
USDA to purchase $3M of dried cherries amid poor San Joaquin County harvest
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY -- Fewer cherries, lower production and more financial struggle. That's what farmers are experiencing in the San Joaquin County, with a 43% drop in harvest predicted this year due to weather whiplash. "On a normal year, these would be loaded," San Joaquin County Farm Bureau Federation Vice President and Lodi Blooms Owner James Chinchiolo said. "This is not what I farm for." Two weeks after the disaster declaration was announced, local leaders helped push the U.S. Department of Agriculture to step in. "We're announcing a $3 million purchase of cherries immediately to try to make sure that folks can get back on their feet," Congressman Josh Harder said. "But this is just the beginning because we're seeing $100 million of losses just in San Joaquin County cherries this year." The move is to help stabilize the market and create another way for the current crop to be used. Most importantly, it will help family cherry farms and processors stay afloat. But, it's not just any kind of cherry the USDA plans to purchase. "In circumstances where we have an abundance of cherries and the what we call the seconds, or in other words, the cherries that don't make it to the Fresh Market, there's money that the government is providing for those cherries to become now available to people that would otherwise not be able to enjoy cherries," Chinchiolo explained. The only difference about these cherries is potential minor defects, like being off color or bruising. Instead of being thrown away, the USDA is drying these sweet cherries so they can still be enjoyed by cherry lovers and help farmers along the way. "If the government comes in and helps us, you know, and supports buying these and taking these off the marketplace, great. It's perfect," Chinchiolo said.
CBS News
13-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
San Joaquin County issues disaster declaration for cherries
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY — Cherries are a favorite summer fruit. This year, however, the staple may be hard to come by. "Right now, the cherry season is looking like we're definitely having a light crop overall," San Joaquin County Farm Bureau Federation Vice President and Lodi Blooms Owner James Chinchiolo said. "Some of the estimates are showing that perhaps half of what the industry is capable of producing." Out of the 19,000 acres of cherry crops across San Joaquin County, it's estimated that 43% of crops have been damaged. For a county that produces nearly 80% of all cherries in the state of California, it's hitting the entire cherry community hard. "Us as farmers, we depend on pickers," Chinchiolo said. "We depend on people hauling the fruit. We depend on electricians. We depend on so many people that help support us in the mission of getting these cherries from the trees to market — and certainly there's a huge trickle down effect here in San Joaquin County." It was all caused by the rain in March and April that affected pollination. After coming off an abnormally warm summer last year, it created the perfect storm for growers. Since cherries are a very sensitive fruit, with the risk of rupturing if water stays on the fruit for too long, it's pushing the San Joaquin County Agriculture Commissioner to declare a disaster. "Whenever the disaster is declared by the Secretary of USDA, the assistance can come in the form of grants to the growers, or most likely in this case, it's going to be low interest loans that are opened up for our grower community," San Joaquin County Agriculture Commissioner Kamal Bagri said. Now that the declaration is submitted, the California Office of Emergency Services will look at the commissioner's data and analyze if the county saw abnormal conditions this season. With the hopes this declaration is accepted, it will bring much needed support to growers across the county. "We're open to accepting support," Chinchiolo said. "That'll help us maintain a healthy operation, keep the folks that work for us employed, and make sure that we can continue to take care of these trees to to produce again for another year." The county estimates a financial loss of nearly $98 million. Still, there are ways to support local. The Cherry Festival in Linden is happening this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also this weekend, Lodi Blooms will be starting their "Cherry U-Pick" event.
