Wisconsin accounts for 70% of cranberries grown in the United States and more than half of the world’s cranberry crop, according to the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association.
Cranberries are native to Wisconsin, where sandy, acidic soils, wetlands, and water availability provide suitable growing conditions. According to the University of Wisconsin State Climatology Office, these soil conditions can be traced to a periglacial lake that existed 14,000 to 18,000 years ago.
The crop is also adapted to Wisconsin winters. Cranberries require chilling hours at temperatures between 32 and 45 degrees to enter dormancy and store energy for the following growing season.
Cranberry harvesting in Wisconsin predates statehood. Native American tribes, including the Ho-Chunk, harvested wild cranberries for food, medicine, and fabric dyes. Commercial cultivation later developed around existing marshlands. In 1867, Wisconsin legislation allowed cranberry growers to build dams and establish their own bogs.
According to UW-Madison professor Amaya Atucha, infrastructure has also contributed to the state’s position in the U.S. cranberry sector. Wisconsin has a concentration of cranberry growers and associated businesses, including Ocean Spray, as well as investment in cranberry research.
Cooperation between growers is another feature of the sector, with equipment shared between farms when needed.