Fact sheets on the economic impact of bird damage to fruit crops are available on the Limiting bird damage in fruit crops website, and we have linked to them within the Cornell Fruit Resources webpages for each commodity. Please share these fact sheets at winter fruit schools, grower conferences, Producer Expo sessions, etc.
The study crops included wine grapes, tart cherries, sweet cherries, blueberries, and ‘Honeycrisp’ apples. The results were based on grower surveys in NY done with assistance from the NYS Horticultural Society, NY Apple Association, NY Wine & Grape Foundation, NY Berry Growers Association, and Cornell Cooperative Extension Regional Programs and County Associations. Our colleague, Cathy Heidenreich, was instrumental in reaching NY berry growers with the survey. Thank you to all who helped with the survey effort a few years back.
The economic impact results are part of a larger, SCRI funded project, Limiting bird damage in fruit crops: integrating economic, biological, and consumer information to develop sustainable, long-term solutions, conducted in Michigan, Washington, California and New York. Stephanie Schwiff, Research Economist, USDA-APHIS, National Wildlife Research Center conducted the economic impact analyses.
Economic impact highlights:
- The average annual economic impact to New York from bird damage to the study crops is $16 million with the loss of almost 500 jobs.
- The average annual economic impact of bird damage to blueberries in MI, NY, OR, WA, and CA was $51 million with a loss of 924 jobs.
- The average annual economic impact of bird damage to tart cherries in MI, NY, OR, WA, and CA was $6.1 million with a loss of 152 jobs.
- The average annual economic impact of bird damage to sweet cherries in MI, NY, OR, WA, and CA was $85 million with a loss of almost 1,300 jobs.
- The average annual economic impact of bird damage to wine grapes in MI, NY, OR, WA, and CA was $126 million with a loss of 1,648 jobs.
- The average annual economic impact of bird damage to Honeycrisp apples in MI, NY, OR, WA, and CA was $48 million with a loss of 788 jobs.