These harvest numbers show how bad the heatwave was on Whatcom’s raspberries
The record-breaking heatwave that hit Whatcom County earlier this summer did a number on the raspberry harvest, and now we know by how much.
The 2021 harvest numbers show Whatcom County farmers brought in slightly less than 44.5 million pounds, according to the Washington Red Raspberry Commission. That’s down 30.2% compared to the 2020 harvest and down 40% compared to the peak year in 2018.
This year’s harvest is the smallest in recent memory; the second-lowest total this century was 45.9 million pounds in 2004.
The extreme heat at the end of June turned many of the fragile berries into mush. On Monday, June 28, temperatures in Lynden hit 106 degrees; it was even hotter east and north of Lynden where there are large berry farms. That’s right around the time the raspberry harvest is just getting started.
Before the heatwave, 2021’s harvest was looking like 2020’s, which came in at nearly 63.7 million pounds, according to Henry Bierlink, executive director at the Washington Red Raspberry Commission. Those early picks during and after the heatwave quickly turned into juice-quality grades; later in the summer, some farmers were able to pick berries that could be quickly frozen and sold on the commercial market.
With so much damage done, berry and other farmers were able to work with federal lawmakers to secure some financial relief through the United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency.
Did the heatwave cause longer-term damage that will impact the crops in 2022? Bierlink said it is tough to say at this stage, but if there was damage, it probably impacted the areas that saw the highest temperatures, particularly around Sumas.
Raspberries are a key part of Whatcom County’s economy, representing a big chunk of the $114.6 million in annual fruit and berry sales, according to the USDA 2017 Census of Agriculture. Whatcom County’s raspberry production represents about 85% of what’s grown in the U.S., according to the Whatcom Conservation District.
