May 24, 2006
May 24, 2006
LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today requested federal assistance for Michigan farmers hard hit by recent frost and freezing temperatures. Citing 28 counties that are expected to experience significant crop loss, Granholm called upon U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Michael Johanns to declare the counties a disaster area.
“April’s extreme drop in temperature was devastating for our fruit and vegetable farmers in lower Michigan,” said Granholm. “On their behalf, I am requesting federal disaster assistance to free up available resources and help reduce the economic impact of this severe weather.”
The affected counties included in Granholm’s request are:
Allegan, Antrim, Barry, Benzie, Berrien, Cass, Charlevoix, Eaton, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Hillsdale, Ionia, Kalamazoo, Kent, Leelanau, Macomb, Manistee, Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Otsego, Ottawa, St. Clair, St. Joseph, VanBuren, Washtenaw, Wayne
Granholm acknowledged the work of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and its federal partners in assessing crop loss and expediting the process as much as possible.
In order for federal disaster status to be granted, original crop loss estimates must be verified from harvest yield data. If losses of 30 percent or more are confirmed and the request is granted, eligible producers will have access to low-interest federal emergency loans for up to 100 percent of their weather-related production losses.
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