Cherries were set to become Michigan’s state fruit, but Senate Bill 1003 died in the Natural Resources and Agriculture committee before its chance to become official.
State Sen. John DaMoose (R-Harbor Springs) authored the bill Sept. 17, 2024 along with nine co-sponsors including State Representative Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City) in September 2024.
“We are still on the case hoping to officially name the Cherry as Michigan’s state fruit and believe we can make progress on this effort in 2025,” DaMoose said. “The fact is, we need to do everything we can to celebrate this great industry and highlight the challenges it is facing, which is exactly the intent of my bill.”
Other cosponsors included Bellino, McMorrow, Daley, Cherry, Huizenga, Lauwers, Webber, Wojno, Singh and Lindsey.
The bill stems from efforts by DaMoose and the National Cherry Festival to have May 22 declared “Cherry industry Day.”
Iconic Leelanau cherry farmer Jim Eckerle said “I don’t know if it would do anything, but that anything can help the cherry industry right now,” he said. “(Northern Michigan) is the cherry capital of the world.”
His advice to farmers in 2025 is to stick with and hope things turn around.
Years ago a similar effort fizzled out, but DaMoose still believes the bill has the capability of passing in 2025 that didn’t have enough priority to get on the governor’s desk in 2024.
Michigan doesn’t have a state fruit like Georgia’s sweet peach, Florida’s savory oranges, and Washington’s sugary apples.
Michigan’s official flower is the apple blossom; state soil is Kalkaska sand; and state fossil is the mastodon, but nothing to honor the role of the cherry throughout the state.
Michigan’s annual tart cherry production is valued at $280 million, according to the Michigan Ag council.
Even throughout decades of decline in the cherry industry, the fruit will always be Leelanau’s official fruit at least for as apples and grapes are taking over.
In 2024, Michigan was plagued with a second consecutive dismal season as anywhere from 30% to 75% of crop yields were lost. The state requested emergency aid from the federal government that will take years to get in the pockets of farmers.
