A study released this year from the University of Michigan Health System shows that tart cherries may have even more health benefits than previously known, including lower total cholesterol, lower blood sugar, less fat storage in the liver, lower oxidative stress and increased production of a molecule that helps the body handle fat and sugar. More exciting, all of these help counteract metabolic syndrome, which UM describes as “a collection of risk factors linked to high rates of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.” The study, reported today in the Great Lakes IT Report is certainly not the first to tout the health benefits of tarts. The Cherry Marketing Institute has an entire library of materials on the power of cherries, including a comprehensive Cherry Nutritional Report. And a number of savvy entrepreneurs, including ”Cherry King” Ray Pleva, are now selling a range of products to give consumers access to the healing potential of this little fruit that is certainly “not just another berry.”

While the Cherry Marketing Institute, Ray Pleva and others are certainly doing all they can to promote the benefits of cherries, they need help. Anyone interested in representing Northwest Michigan needs to know that part of the job description is to be a tireless advocate for tart cherries and the people that grow them. According to USDA statistics, Leelanau County is number one in the country in terms of acres in tart cherry production, and also leads all 83 counties in Michigan in sweet cherries. What’s more, Mason County is fifth in the country, and Oceana County, just one county south of Mason County, is number two nationally (and much of that cherry harvest is processed by Mason County processors like CherrCo, Cherry Alliance and Indian Summer/ Mason County Fruit Packers). The other counties in the 101st District are also at the top of the national rankings, with Benzie County ranked 7th in the state and 10th in the country, and Manistee County placing 9th in the state and 13th in the country in tart cherry acreage.

These statistics are simply incredible. All four counties in the 101st District rank in the top 13 counties in the nation in terms of tart cherry production, and the regional impact of the cherry industry in Northwest Michigan, adding in other top producers like Oceana, Grand Traverse and Antrim counties, is enormous. Whether it’s the money this industry generates for local farmers and producers, the jobs these farmers and producers create, or the scenic nature of cherry trees in bloom, Northwest Michigan would not be the same without our cherries. This simple fact means that any representative from this area, at any level of government, Republican or Democrat, must be a top cheerleader for this industry, including highlighting the health benefits of tart cherries as a direct means of increasing the consumer base and adding new markets for our farmers. We live in the heart of a globally unique resource and one that, as the UofM study shows, has the potential to save lives and ease suffering for an untold number of people all across the world. Let’s celebrate that fact!