This Thanksgiving, millions of Americans will be dumping their turkey and stuffing into their cranberry sauce, a favorite pastime for so many people. Despite the enormous consumption of the cranberry – Americans buy five million pounds each year, particularly during Thanksgiving – a new report released suggests that American farmers are growing too many cranberries, which has prompted the United States government to intervene.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (via Wisconsin Watch), prices have been falling in the past year because of an oversupply of the red fruit. Ostensibly, the state of Wisconsin is being blamed for this trend because the Badger State’s farmers, which produces about two-thirds of the nation’s supply, increased their production efforts by 25 percent.
In 2012, farmers harvested 4.83 million barrels, and a year later, 6.1 million barrels were supplied. This prompted prices to drop from 48 cents per pound in 2012 to 32 cents last year, a price that has had hardly allowed the growers to break even.
Wisconsin farmers had inquired with the federal government earlier this year to impose mandatory production limits in order to avoid supply surpassing demand. This query was initially denied, but this week the federal government announced it would be acquiring $55 million worth of surplus cranberry produces from farmers in the states of Massachusetts, Oregon and Wisconsin.
The estimated 68 million pounds of berries will be inserted into federal school lunches and food pantries.
Although the government does purchase cranberries from farmers each year, the 2014 crop is projected to generate fewer berries than in previous seasons. In the meantime, domestic cranberry farmers are seeking out new methods to boost global demand for cranberries, including in parts of Asia and South America.
“One of the biggest shifts we’ve seen has been a growth in the international markets,” said Tom Lochner, the executive director of the Wisconsin State Cranberry Grower’s Association, in an interview with a local Fox News affiliate. “We’re exporting about 30 to 35 percent of the crop where about ten years ago we were in the five to ten percent range.”
Back in the U.S., however, cranberry producers say the fruit shouldn’t just equate to Thanksgiving. In fact, according to the New York Times, when staff members at the Cranberry Marketing Committee utter the term “Thanksgiving” they are urged to place a quarter into a piggy bank.
“We have to think outside of the bog,” said Scott Soares, the former Massachusetts agriculture secretary who runs the trade group, in an interview with the newspaper. “People just don’t think about them unless they are really right in front of them, which is usually when they are next to the turkey and mashed potatoes.”
The Marketing Committee has put forward a number of initiatives to increase demand for cranberries, including creating new recipes, especially for cocktails as the group attained a trademark for “America’s original super fruit.”
Perhaps a New Year’s resolution could be to add some sort of cranberry concoction into your breakfast, lunch and/or dinner.
