PLYMOUTH, MA Issued September 5, 2019… Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association (CCCGA), representing more than 325 Massachusetts cranberry growers statewide, announces the debut of an insignia emblem distinguishing locally grown fruit on cranberry products sourced from within the Commonwealth. The logo “Massachusetts Cranberries” differentiates the official state fruit on products grown in state, helping to support the agricultural efforts of the grower community.
“Increasing the awareness and consumption of locally grown cranberries will help to strengthen the relationship between our family farmers and the community. Increasingly, consumers are looking to better understand where their food choices originate. This logo clearly denotes cranberries grown in Massachusetts, where the birth of this industry began more than 200 years ago,” shares CCCGA Executive Director Brian Wick. The “Massachusetts Cranberries” logo is intended to increase awareness of fruit grown within Massachusetts, in hope of capturing consumer interest throughout Massachusetts (and beyond), where the locavore movement is widely supported. “We’ll cultivate this branding effort to help reinforce the vitality of the Massachusetts cranberry growers, their healthy fresh fruit, and over time, other cranberry products sourced with Massachusetts cranberries,” shares Wick.
According to the Locavore Index (source: strollingoftheheifers.com), a study published annually ranking the strongest producers and consumers of local food in the 50 U.S. states, Massachusetts currently ranks 22 amongst all states, indicating the importance of locally grown food to the Commonwealth’s consumers. Across the United States, the trend of locavorism (or buy local) has seen rapid growth in recent years, with consumer demand for farm-fresh food on the rise. The value of food sold directly to consumers via farm stands, farmers markets, community supported agriculture (CSAs) and online has more than doubled since calculated in the 2012 and 2017 U.S. Censuses of Agriculture, from $1.31 billion to $2.81 billion. (source: nass.usda.gov/AgCensus)
Facilitated by CCCGA for use by its statewide membership, the “Massachusetts Cranberries” logo is funded by a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant, a program originated to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. The logo will be integrated into packaging of participating grower’s products beginning this fall featuring berries grown inside Massachusetts. The insignia will initially be visible to consumers as a sticker label, building ultimately to be incorporated as an element of packaging design or on point-of-sale displays, primarily branding fresh and fresh frozen cranberries and other cranberry products sourced with Massachusetts berries. Consumers can start looking for the Massachusetts Cranberries logo on fresh fruit at local farm stands or retailers this fall.
Cranberries were recognized by the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans as a nutrient-dense fruit. Just an 8-ounce glass of cranberry juice cocktail contains 137% of the daily value of vitamin C, with health benefits also extending through the entire body. The fruit is easily assimilated into a regular daily diet by incorporating a handful into smoothies, mixing them into oatmeal or yogurt, or as an ingredient in sweet and savory dishes or cocktails.
For more information about Massachusetts cranberries and a wide range of recipes, history of the fruit and local events, visit Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association’s website at cranberries.org or follow the Association on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
About the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association
Established in 1888 to standardize the measure with which cranberries are sold, Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association (CCCGA) is one of the country’s oldest farmers’ organizations, today representing about 325 growers throughout Massachusetts. This unity has given growers both a single voice and collective strength in promoting the cranberry industry, the largest agricultural food commodity produced in Massachusetts, with an annual crop value of $60.2 million. Massachusetts is home to 30% of all North American cranberry acreage and provides over 6,900 jobs and a total economic benefit of over $1.4 billion to the Massachusetts economy (source: Farm Credit East Knowledge Exchange Report). CCCGA’S professional staff assists growers in solving everyday problems, assisting in regulatory compliance, sponsoring professional development seminars and organizing Association activities. CCCGA continues to facilitate cranberry research efforts to help improve the efficiency and environmental stewardship of cranberry farms. Through continued support, CCCGA works to ensure that cranberry farming, along with the open space and clean water that is vital to cranberry growing, our communities and the environment, will be sustained. For more information, visit cranberries.org, contact Brian Wick, Executive Director, Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association, bwick@cranberries.org or call 508-866-7878.
