USDA Agrees To Purchase Additional $15 Million In Tart Cherries

June 25, 2019

According to Congressman Jack Bergman's office, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will buy an additional $15 million of U.S. tart cherries, which will be distributed to domestic food assistance programs such as the National School Lunch Program. The USDA had already agreed to purchase $15 million worth of tart cherries in March.

"This is great news for our First District Cherry growers," said Bergman in a press release. "The tart cherry industry has gone above and beyond to fight adverse circumstances facing their market, including the unfair dumping of cheap imports from Turkey and other foreign countries.

The cherry industry has been facing several hurdles, given alleged "dumping" of cherries into the U.S. market by countries including Turkey.