Michigan Cherry Diversion Work & Supervisor Meeting (SW MI & East Lansing) July 25-27, 2011

On Monday, July 25, 2011, NASDA’s NASS Program Director Charlie Ingram spent a day in Southwest Michigan to learn about the cherry diversion program and data collection work conducted by NASDA’s enumerators on behalf of the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (CIAB). He was joined by NASS Field Office Director Jay Johnson and Deputy Gerald Tillman. The group also toured some of the diverse agricultural operations in the area. On July 26-27, the NASS Field Office held a Supervisor Management meeting to review June Survey work and discuss administrative issues.

Michigan produces almost three-quarters of the U.S. cherry crop. The handling and marketing of cherries grown in Michigan (and six other states) is governed by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) through a Marketing Agreement and Order. Under the Marketing Order, regulation of the amount of fruit that goes to market may be required in years when supply exceeds demand. This “volume control” allows the cherry industry to address fluctuations in production from season to season, helping to stabilize supplies and prices.
 

• Michigan cherries
• Equipment used to harvest cherries 
• NASS MI FO Deputy Gerald Tillman and NASDA Supervisor Cindra Mikel in the cherry orchard
• NASS MI FO Director Jay Johnson checks out the harvested cherries which are collected in tanks at the orchard

The Grower Diversion Program is voluntary effort to bring supply and demand into balance. By diverting cherries from production, growers can avoid the costs of harvesting and transporting fruit, reduce the supply, and mitigate the downward pressure on prices that result from oversupply. Cherries in excess of demand are diverted from the market in several ways which include either at the orchard, at the plant, or through unique markets such as food bank donations, export, and new product development. NASDA Enumerators collect data related to this diversion activity.
 

• NASDA Field Supervisor Cindra Mikel shows how the volume of a cherry tank is measuredJay Johnson and Charlie Ingram measure cherries in tank
• Charlie and Cindra measure cherries in the tank as Jay looks on
• NASDA Enumerator Bob Larsen records the data and measurements while Charlie looks on
• Enumerator Bob Larson, Charlie and Supervisor Cindra Mikel at the cherry handler site

To learn more about USDA Marketing Orders go to: www.ams.usda.gov and for more information on the Cherry Diversion Program, visit the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (CIAB) website at: www.cherryboard.org.

After the cherry diversion work, NASDA Field Supervisor Cindra Mikel arranged a tour for us to see a cucumber processing operation.  Cindra’s supervisory territory in Southwestern Michigan is a diverse agricultural area. In addition to cherries, some of the other crops grown are apples, grapes, asparagus, tomatoes, squash, beans, corn and cantaloupes.

• The cucumber packing plant/operation 
• NASDA Field Supervisor Cindra Mikel and NASS MI Director Jay Johnson at the cucumber processing plant
  Cucumbers arriving at the packing plant by truck
• Crates of cucumbers prepared for processing and packing
• Cucumbers are washed in the first stage of the process
• Workers sorting cucumbers in the processing line

On July 26-27, NASDA’s NASS Program Director Charlie Ingram participated in a Supervisor Management meeting to review June Survey work and discuss NASDA administrative issues. There were 7 NASDA Field Supervisors who participated in the Workshop. The NASS team who participated included: Director Jay Johnson; Deputy Director Gerald Tillman; and Ag Statistician and NASDA Coordinator Chad Cloos. Ag Statisticians Benita Hodge and Jean Porter reviewed the survey work. Some of the topics discussed were: response rates, data quality, workloads, and communications.

• Ag Stats Benita Hodge and Jean Porter
• NASDA Supervisors Diane Clark, Carl DeKleine, and Rachel Bakowski
• Field Supervisor Rachel Bakowski and NASS staff Denise Bowman 
• NASDA Supervisor Ken Kralik reviews survey maps
• Field Supervisor Diane McPhee , who was one of the 2011 Enumerator of the Year recipients.
• NASDA Supervisor Herb Hemmes, NASS Ag Stat Chad Cloos and NASDA Supervisor Cindra Mikel enjoy refreshments after the management meeting
• Enumerator Hugh Leach, Daytime Telephone Supervisor Diane Clark and Enumerator Jill Leach.  Hugh was a 2011 Enumerator of the Year recipient.
• NASDA Supervisor Rachel Bakowski reviews survey mapsJay Johnson measures the volume of cherries in the tank at the handler site