PHOTOS: Peters Stops in Traverse City on Annual Motorcycle Tour, Presses for Passage of His SWAT Act to Address Invasive Fly Hurting Michigan Fruit Growers

TRAVERSE CITY, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) stopped in Traverse City today as part of his annual motorcycle tour across Michigan.

On his “Paving the Way for Michigan’s Future” tour, Peters visited Michigan State University’s Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center and met with local cherry growers to press for passage of his bipartisan SWAT Act in the upcoming farm bill. Peters’ SWAT Act would help reduce the spread of spotted wing drosophila (SWD). SWD is an invasive insect that continues to hurt growers in Michigan and across the country by laying their eggs in soft-skinned fruit crops such as cherries and blueberries, making crop loads unsellable. Peters’ Spotted Wing Abatement Trust (SWAT) Act would establish a fund managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to strengthen efforts that mitigate the spread of this invasive pest, helping to keep costs down for growers and prevent their crops from being spoiled in the first place.

During the stop, Peters toured the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center and met with Michigan State University horticulturalist Dr. Nikki Rothwell and staff to learn about the center’s ongoing efforts to reduce spotted wing drosophila in Michigan cherry orchards. Peters also heard from local cherry growers about how SWD is impacting their crops, businesses, and livelihoods. Along with Dr. Rothwell, Peters was joined at the event by Cherry Ke, Inc. Vice President Nels Veliquette, King Orchards Vice President Juliette King-McAvoy, and Ben LaCross, Operations Manager for LaCross Farms in Leelanau County and District 9 Director for the Michigan Farm Bureau Board of Directors.

“Protecting Michigan’s cherry industry and the ability of our growers to stay competitive is a top priority,” said Senator Peters. “That’s why after hearing from growers across our state that these invasive flies are threatening their businesses and livelihoods, I wanted to come here to Traverse City to see firsthand this local effort to develop tools to help mitigate their spread. In the U.S. Senate, I introduced the SWAT Act to support and advance these efforts, and I’ll keep fighting to see it signed into law.” 

“Michigan growers are resilient, but they need our help to prevent damage from invasive pests like the Spotted Wing Drosophila,” said Dr. Nikki Rothwell, MSU Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center coordinator, and Educator. “Senator Peters’ SWAT Act would help increase research into these pests and provide growers with the resources they need to protect their crops. I’m proud to support this bill and look forward to continuing to work with Senator Peters to mitigate the spread of SWD in our region.”

“Senator Peters has been a longtime advocate for Michigan cherry growers, I know this because I’ve worked closely with him over the years on efforts important to keeping Michigan’s cherry industry competitive on the world stage,” said Nels Veliquette, Vice President and CFO of Cherry Ke, Inc. “We’re grateful to Senator Peters for his most recent efforts through the SWAT Act to address an invasive species that threatens not only our cherry crops but the livelihoods of all berry producers here in Michigan.”

“Spotted wing drosophila have impacted our orchard and threatened our ability to bring a quality crop to harvest with minimal effect on the environment,” said Juliette King McAvoy of King Orchards. “Thank you Senator Peters for your work to help us protect our crops, the environment and mitigate this invasive pest.”

“Senator Peters’ bipartisan SWAT Act will help ensure we’re prepared and equipped to reduce the population of spotted wing drosophila in Michigan,” said Ben LaCross, a Leelanau County cherry grower and a member of the Michigan Farm Bureau board of directors. “Michigan farmers support this legislation and thank Senator Peters for his continued efforts to support our fruit growers.”

Peters – an avid and longtime motorcycle rider – was joined by guest riders on his ride to Traverse City. On his annual tour across Michigan, Peters has made stops in Muskegon, Ironwood, and Escanaba, and will next ride to Bay City, Lansing, and Novi.  

To download photos from the visit, click here or on the images below. Images are courtesy of Senator Peters’ office.

Peters has previously fought to support growers in Michigan and across the country by strengthening our defenses against invasive species. In 2020, Peters’ bipartisan legislation to address the shortage of agricultural inspectors who protect the nation’s food supply and agricultural industry at the border was signed into law. Peters also has led the charge to level the playing field with his bipartisan Self Initiation Trade Enforcement Actto help small- and medium-sized businesses negatively impacted by unfair trade practices from foreign countries, including Michigan cherry growers hurt by dumping and subsidies on imported goods. Peters has raised this issue with President Biden, Biden Administration officials, and the previous Administration. Recently, after a push by Peters, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) announced it would start tracking foreign imports of tart cherry juice and tart cherry juice concentrate to accurately measure the impact of this trade on Michigan’s tart cherry industry. This decision came after Peters led a similar effort in 2020 that resulted in the ITC beginning to collect additional statistical information on dried cherry imports.

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