Michael Jameson Shares the Brutal Truth Behind California’s Toughest Cherry Crop in Decades
California’s cherry industry entered the 2026 season with optimism, ideal growing conditions, and expectations for one of the best crops in recent years. Instead, growers, packers, shippers, retailers, and consumers endured what veteran industry leader Michael Jameson calls the most difficult cherry season of his 38-year career.
During a candid interview with “The Ag Meter” Nick Papagni, Jameson, of Morada Produce, detailed how a near-perfect crop was transformed into a disaster by a series of untimely spring rainstorms that caused hundreds of millions of dollars in losses across California’s cherry-growing regions.
For anyone involved in agriculture—or simply interested in understanding what happens behind the scenes before cherries reach grocery store shelves—the full interview offers a remarkable look at the challenges facing California growers today.
A Perfect Crop Destroyed by Rain
According to Jameson, California was positioned to produce between 8.5 and 9 million cartons of cherries in 2026, a volume considered ideal for the state’s industry.
An 8.5 to 9 million carton crop allows growers to generate strong returns, provides packers with enough volume to operate efficiently, gives retailers sufficient supply for promotions, and delivers consumers a plentiful supply of high-quality fruit.
“It was a beautiful crop,” Jameson explained.
Then Mother Nature intervened.
A major rain event struck on April 21, followed by multiple additional storms throughout the season. While rain can be problematic at any stage, cherries become particularly vulnerable when transitioning from green to red coloration. During this stage, known as the “straw” phase, fruit absorbs moisture through both the root system and stem cavity. Because cherry skins have little elasticity during this period, excess moisture causes fruit to crack and split.
The damage affected many major California cherry varieties, including Coral, Brooks, Tulares, Royal Hazel, Royal Lynn, Black Pearl, and later-season varieties as well.
Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Lost
The financial impact was staggering.
In San Joaquin County alone, industry estimates suggest growers lost approximately 63.5% of their crop. The estimated market value loss in that region reached $174 million.
And that figure only accounts for one growing district.
Additional losses occurred throughout Bakersfield, Fresno, Westley-Patterson-Gustine, Hollister-Gilroy, and other California cherry-producing regions. Jameson estimates statewide crop losses exceeded 50%, with total economic damage reaching well into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
The losses came at a particularly painful time after growers endured a difficult 2025 season that suffered from insufficient winter chill hours and reduced production.
Quality Challenges Followed the Crop
While modern optical sorting technology helped packers salvage portions of the crop, quality issues persisted throughout the season.
Unlike previous decades when severe rain damage would force packers to shut down operations entirely, today’s optical sorting systems can identify internal and external defects with remarkable precision. These systems allowed packers to continue processing fruit despite extensive weather damage.
However, even fruit that made it into the box often lacked the shelf life and integrity typically associated with California cherries.
Rain, delayed harvests, wind damage, and accelerated ripening all contributed to fruit breakdown. Cherries that appeared acceptable at shipping point frequently deteriorated during transportation, particularly when traveling long distances.
Consumers across the country experienced issues ranging from skin breakdown and soft fruit to mold development and shortened shelf life.
“We really feel bad for the consumer,” Jameson said. “They just did not get a good piece of fruit for California cherries this season.”
Shipment Rejections Added More Pain
The problems didn’t end once fruit left the packing shed.
According to Jameson, California shippers experienced an unusually high number of load rejections during the season. Entire truckloads of cherries were rejected after failing USDA arrival inspections due to decay, defects, and quality concerns.
Normally, Morada Produce handles between 2.2 and 2.3 million boxes annually and may see only a handful of shipment issues throughout a season.
This year was dramatically different.
Some packers experienced multiple rejected loads per day. With truckloads valued at $100,000 to $150,000 each, losses quickly mounted.
As Jameson explained, growers first lost fruit in the orchard, then lost additional fruit during packing, and finally suffered further financial damage when shipments failed to meet arrival standards.
“It was a double whammy,” he said.
Export Markets Shrink as Risks Increase
California’s export business also suffered.
Morada Produce typically exports approximately 20% of its crop, including Canada. However, overseas shipments became increasingly difficult due to quality concerns.
Many international markets require fumigation treatments, extended transit times, and additional handling procedures that further stress already weakened fruit.
Countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Australia have strict import requirements that can make exporting rain-affected cherries especially challenging. Some markets also prohibit certain post-harvest fungicides that help extend fruit quality.
As a result, Morada Produce focused primarily on domestic and Canadian markets where refrigeration and cold-chain management could be maintained more effectively.
An Extremely Early Season Created New Challenges
Adding to the industry’s difficulties was an unusually early harvest.
Packing operations began around April 8-9, nearly two-and-a-half weeks earlier than normal. Even more surprising, California’s season effectively ended by May 24.
Jameson noted that in nearly four decades in the industry, he had never seen a full California cherry season conclude so early.
The accelerated timeline created unexpected marketing problems.
Retail promotions are planned weeks in advance, and many grocery chains simply could not adjust their advertising schedules quickly enough to capitalize on the early crop. While growers hoped to secure strong Mother’s Day and Memorial Day promotions, many retailers were unable to react fast enough.
Without those critical advertisements, movement slowed and inventories became more difficult to manage.
Crop Insurance Complicates Harvest Decisions
Another challenge involved crop insurance.
When severe weather damage occurs, growers often evaluate whether harvesting fruit for the fresh market will generate better returns than filing insurance claims.
Packers must sample fruit, analyze size profiles, estimate pack-outs, and calculate expected grower returns. Those numbers are then compared to insurance coverage levels.
Some growers choose insurance rather than harvesting damaged fruit, creating uncertainty for packers attempting to forecast supplies and commit volume to retail promotions.
Combined with weather losses, this uncertainty made managing the season even more difficult.
Looking Ahead
Despite the challenges, Jameson remains optimistic about the future of California cherries.
The 2026 season will likely be remembered as one of the most difficult in modern industry history, but growers continue to adapt and invest in technologies that help them navigate increasingly unpredictable weather conditions.
For growers, packers, retailers, and consumers alike, the hope is that 2027 will deliver the strong crop, outstanding quality, and favorable market conditions that California cherries are known for around the world.
Listen to the Full Interview
The complete conversation between “The Ag Meter” Nick Papagni and Michael Jameson provides an unfiltered look at what California’s cherry industry endured during the 2026 season. Jameson discusses crop losses, weather impacts, packing challenges, export markets, retailer relationships, and what the future may hold for growers across the state.
For questions regarding California cherries, growers and industry stakeholders can contact Morada Produce at:
Phone: 209-546-1826
Email: customerservice@moradaproduce.com
The interview serves as an important reminder that every box of cherries represents months of work, significant financial risk, and a constant battle against forces beyond a grower’s control.