Oregon pears fight for their life

It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that the current situation facing Oregon pear growers is catastrophic. 

A combination of adverse market conditions, abnormal weather, and a devastating pest has led to losses of up to $45 million for Columbia River Gorge pear farmers during the 2025 campaign, cutting returns by up to 50 percent.

The state accounts for 85 percent of American fresh pears, but the current landscape for Oregonian growers is dire and has pushed a lot of them to the brink of failure.  

An incredibly rough year for Oregon pears

For starters, the weather hasn’t been nice to Oregon pear growers. Warmer-than-usual temperatures negatively affected snowpack during the winter, which led to serious irrigation constraints, says media outlet YourOregonNews.com.  

To make matters worse, many producers in Hood River and Wasco counties reported one of the worst psylla infestations they’ve seen in decades. The psyllid leaves a sticky “honeydew” coat on pears and trees, which then leads to black mold that, in many cases, leaves the fruit unmarketable. 

Compounding the situation even further, Oregon pear growers are facing extreme financial uncertainty. The sector reports final settlement statements of $0 for bins of certain varieties, resulting from a bumper 2024 crop, as well as the closure of DelMonte’s cannery in Yakima, Washington. The latter led to the saturation of the fresh market by a significant influx of Oregon pears originally destined for processing.

As explained by local media outlet CCC News, an important part of Oregon pear growers delivers their crop to packing houses to be sold throughout the year. The system is logistically convenient, but comes with the caveat that growers won't know what the fruit sold for until many months after the fact. And after packing, storage, and marketing costs are deducted. 

"I've spoken with growers over the past week who have told me they're running out of options. They don't know how they'll cover their operating expenses or make it through another season," Columbia Gorge Fruit Growers Chair Lesley Tamura told the news site. "This is the type of situation that forces many into debt they'll never recover from.”

According to the news site, final settlement statements could go up to $150 per bin. However, with estimated per-bin costs at roughly $300, returns sit way below production costs, rendering a truly life-threatening situation for some Oregon pear operations.

A call for aid

Following the statements of Columbia Gorge Fruit Growers, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek sent a letter to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins calling for a federal disaster declaration in Hood River and Wasco counties. 

“I respectfully ask USDA to act promptly to place federal recovery tools within reach of these producers and to explore disaster relief and market stability opportunities where possible under your broader discretionary authorities,” the document, which you can find below, reads.  

In her July 2 missive, Kotek explained that many Oregon pear farms face bankruptcy ahead of the 2026 harvest. The consequences won’t only be felt by the families behind these operations, she wrote, but also in grocery aisles nationwide. 

With the disaster declaration, Gorge growers will have access to emergency credit from the USDA's Farm Service, and the authorization from the government agency will confirm that Hood River pear producers are eligible for, and promptly paid under, the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers program.

Read Gov. Kotek's letter in full below: 

*All images are referential. 

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