W9855 Cranberry Rd , Black River Falls, WI 54615(Jackson County)

In addition to the cranberry bogs, the Perry Creek farm contains five dwellings that provide housing for the management and employee team as well as multiple sheds for equipment storage. The property contains extensive irrigation infrastructure including multiple reservoirs, nine pump filling stations and high-capacity wells for supplemental irrigation that ensures ample water for cranberry operations year-round.

The local soils, favorable climate conditions and ample water supplies have propelled Jackson County to rank in the top three counties in Wisconsin for the market value of cranberries sold, according to the most recent USDA study.

This sale will include all the real estate, improvements, irrigation infrastructure, 2024 crop, farm machinery, Ocean Spray Stock Shares and the Ocean Spray allocated retained earnings making this a true turnkey cranberry operation for the next owner.

Current Farming Operation

The Perry Creek Cranberry Farm currently has approximately 204.08 acres m/l of cranberries planted. The varieties grown are Ben Lear, Crimson Red, Gregleski, Haines, Mullica Queen, and Stevens with dates varying from 1989 to 2018. The farm has a long history of high yielding production above the county and state averages.

The experienced management and employee team, comprising five full-time staff, is bolstered by an additional 2-3 seasonal workers for summer tasks and 10-12 more employees during the fall harvest.

In addition to all the equipment and irrigation infrastructure transferring with the sale, the buyer will also receive all of the seller's interest in the 2024 cranberry crop. The new buyer will reimburse the seller for costs of production and work performed for the crop from December 1, 2023 of the current cultivation year through the earlier of the closing of this transaction or completion of harvest of the current crops.

Regional Location

Perry Creek Cranberry Farm is conveniently located just off U.S. Highway 12 and Interstate 94, near Black River Falls, in a prime cranberry-growing area. It's close to the central cranberry hub along Highway 173, which runs between Tomah and Wisconsin Rapids. The Ocean Spray Co-Op Tomah facility, where the cranberries are processed, is less than 35 miles from the farm, ensuring easy access for marketing. Cranberry marsh operations are prominent west of Wisconsin Rapids to Black River Falls and the Tomah area.

Successful cranberry cultivation requires specific conditions: an abundant water supply, access to reliable sand sources, bogs capable of holding floodwaters, and level terrain. Wisconsin meets all these criteria, making it an ideal location for cranberry producers. The newly established Wisconsin Cranberry Research Station, located on 140 acres of sandy soil in Jackson County, is in the heart of the state's cranberry-producing region, just 12 miles southwest of Perry Creek Cranberry Farm.

Wisconsin Cranberry Statistics

Wisconsin is the top cranberry-producing state in the United States, growing around 60% of the country's cranberries and 50% of the world's cranberries. In 2022, Wisconsin produced 4.84 million barrels of cranberries, more than double the next highest-producing state, Massachusetts. The cranberry industry began in central Wisconsin, west of Wisconsin Rapids, and has since expanded to other areas, including Black River Falls, Warrens, Tomah, Manitowish Waters, Eagle River, Spooner, and Hayward.

Cranberries are Wisconsin's largest fruit industry and an essential economic driver. The cranberry industry supports a billion-dollar industry, and in 2004, the cranberry was officially named Wisconsin's state fruit. The industry employs nearly 4,000 people in Wisconsin.