Washington's 2026 sweet cherry crop is forecast at 200,000 tons, down 23%, but tighter supplies may support better prices after last season squeezed returns.
Social Security counts self-employed farmers' net earnings after expenses, so a loss year can eliminate credits and weaken the earnings record used to calculate benefits.
The farm optional method lets eligible farmers report earnings based on gross income instead of net profit, preserving Social Security credits at the cost of higher self-employment tax.
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Washington cherry growers are bringing in a much smaller crop this year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts 200,000 tons of sweet cherries, down about 23% from 261,000 tons in 2025. A smaller crop is not automatically a bad financial year. Growers hope tighter supplies can support better prices after last season's large crop squeezed returns. But weather, labor, packing and freight costs can still leave an individual orchard with very different math.