Today, Congressman Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) applauded Governor Rick Snyder’s written request to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for a disaster designation for fruit farmers in southwest Michigan who are facing one of the worst crop losses in decades.  A mild winter followed by unseasonably warm temperatures in March caused Michigan fruit trees to bud early, only to be wiped out by typical April freezes.  Last week, Upton met with several growers in Berrien County and got a firsthand look at the devastation wrought on a local farms this spring.  The Governor’s request extends to 72 Michigan counties, including Allegan, Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Van Buren counties.

“Today’s action is welcome news for Michigan fruit growers who are facing the worst losses in memory.  In fact, the usual Michigan cherry crop yield is 240 million pounds and this year’s freeze wiped out nearly 90 percent of that,” said Upton.  “I applaud Governor Snyder for his urgent response to the needs of countless Michigan farmers whose the livelihood hangs in the balance.  I am also encouraged by the efforts of the Governor and state legislature to provide short-term relief to our farmers until federal loans are available. Our family farms in southwest Michigan play such an important role in our daily lives and in the local economy, so it is imperative they have the necessary support when disaster strikes.  While today’s announcement is an important step, this disaster further underscores the urgency of passing a Farm Bill that accounts for the needs of our area’s specialty crop growers.”

Disaster designation requests originate with a state’s governor making a formal request to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for a disaster designation.  Prior to the governor’s request, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) gathers crop loss data at the local level, compiling a list of counties they believe have met a 30 percent loss threshold.  Once the governor receives that information, a request for assistance is sent by the governor to the Secretary of Agriculture.  The USDA ultimately grants the disaster designation request on county-by-county basis, based on whether a particular county has met the 30 percent crop loss threshold.  If granted, the farmers of that county are then eligible for low-interest loans through USDA.