Cranberry growers transforming outdated bogs into wetlands

Cranberry Farmers Face Challenges in Massachusetts

In southeastern Massachusetts, it’s the height of cranberry season. Interestingly, Massachusetts stands as the second-largest producer of cranberries in the U.S., right behind Wisconsin.

Karen Cahill, the deputy executive director of the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association, remarked, “Massachusetts has an incredibly robust cranberry industry.” She further shared that a recent economic survey indicated that the cranberry industry adds about $1.7 billion to the state’s economy, supporting approximately 6,400 regional jobs.

However, some farmers are feeling the strain. One cranberry grower noted the increasing difficulties of cultivating cranberries in the state.

Jarrod Rose, a fourth-generation farmer from Carver, produces roughly 50,000 barrels of cranberries each year at his family’s farm, Edgewood Bogs LLC, which was established in the early 1940s. He also operates Cape Cod Select, a business they started in 2009 that processes some of their cranberries for the retail frozen market.

But rising costs and shifting weather conditions are putting pressure on operations. Rose mentioned, “It all adds up to make it much more expensive to grow here than in Wisconsin or Canada.” Cahill echoed this sentiment, noting that high labor, utility, and real estate costs in Massachusetts make it a challenging environment for farming.

Another factor is the size difference between Massachusetts and Wisconsin. As Cahill pointed out, “Wisconsin is much larger, more than twice the area of Massachusetts, and doing anything at scale tends to be cheaper.”

In light of these pressures, Rhodes decided to participate in a state initiative to restore over 30 acres of aging wetlands. “The site was in disrepair and needed rebuilding,” he explained.

The state’s Department of Ecological Restoration has a program aimed at returning retired cranberry bogs to their natural wetland state. Over the past decade, several unproductive marshes have been restored, including parts of the Eel River Headwaters Project, where improvements such as the recovery of Atlantic white cedars and the return of river herring have been noted.

Rose saw the potential for this program after recognizing that the swamp wasn’t profitable anymore. “Instead of rebuilding it, we decided to take the money and buy a better property,” he said.

While Rhodes has less land in cultivation now, the decommissioned bogs will be safeguarded as wetlands, allowing families to reallocate resources to more productive fields. The DER refers to this approach as a “green exit strategy,” providing compensation through restoration grants and conservation easements to facilitate these transitions.

Krista Haas from DER mentioned that legal protection for the land is essential before commencing any work. “This places deed restrictions on the land, restricting certain activities like development,” she said, explaining the role of conservation easements provided through the USDA’s Wetlands Conservation Easements program.

More farmers are exploring similar routes as they see projects coming to fruition. Rose noted that as some farmers approach retirement, younger generations may not be as ready to take over. The restoration of the wetlands is set to be completed in spring 2026.