The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a proposed rule to modify handling requirements for sweet cherries produced in designated counties in Washington state. This initiative comes in response to a direct recommendation from the Washington Sweet Cherry Marketing Committee.

The technical proposal includes significant changes to the quality standards that growers and packers must meet:

• Increased minimum size: The minimum size requirement will be increased for all sweet cherry varieties.
• Exceptions: Varieties designated as “light sweet cherries” (such as Rainier, Royal Anne, and similar varieties) will be exempt from this specific increase.
• Updated categories: The current row count and row size designations will be eliminated, and two new designations will be added to the packaging requirements of the Marketing Order.

Benefits for Producers
According to the Steering Committee, these changes not only aim to offer a more attractive and competitive product in the market to maximize financial returns, but also fulfill a vital administrative function: aligning industry standards to facilitate access to crop insurance when producers face weather or market contingencies.

Timelines and Public Participation
The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on March 9, 2026. The USDA has opened a public comment period for interested parties to submit their arguments, with a deadline of April 8, 2026. Comments can be submitted through the official portal Regulations.gov or by mail to the Market Development Division of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

Marketing orders, authorized by the Farm Marketing Agreements Act of 1937, are industry-driven programs that allow producers to develop joint strategies for commercial success under the supervision of the AMS.

We invite you to review the proposal HERE.

Source: Frutas de Chile