Study: Cranberries have bigger economic impact - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

New research says Wisconsin cranberry industry has a bigger impact on the state's economy than many believed.

The Fiscal and Economics Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater finds cranberries have a fiscal impact of more than $388 million.

Researchers say the industry creates more than 3,800 annual full-time jobs in Wisconsin.

Research center director Russ Kashian says the `super fruit' has a big impact because prices have doubled over the last year. He says people will pay a premium for cranberries, something that doesn't ordinarily happen with typical commodities.

Wisconsin has major cranberry growing and processing operations in seven counties; including Sawyer, Vilas, Portage, Juneau, Jackson, Monroe and Wood. The state is first in the U.S. in cranberry production with 46 percent of the market.