Farms.com Home   News

Federal Aid to Rescue Michigan Cherry Farmers After Devastating Crop Loss

By Nina Misuraca Ignaczak

Federal aid is coming to Michigan’s sweet cherry farmers, who lost much of their crops this year due to erratic weather patterns and subsequent pest infestations.

In response to this agricultural disaster, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued disaster declarations for Antrim, Grand Traverse, Leelanau counties and eight contiguous counties.

The federal recognition opens the door for emergency resources for northern Michigan’s cherry producers. Qualified farmers in the affected areas will now be eligible for low-interest emergency loans from the USDA’s Farm Services Agency.

Michigan sweet cherry farmers lost between 30% and 75% of their crops this season, prompting Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to request federal assistance for the hard-hit industry. This year’s crop loss was one of the worst in recent history because farmers spent a great deal of money fighting bugs and fungi but largely failed to save the season.

The situation in Michigan’s cherry orchards is a microcosm of the larger climate crisis facing agriculture worldwide. As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, farmers are on the front lines, battling to maintain their livelihoods and feed their communities.

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

The Soybean Bulletin: On-Farm Research

Video: The Soybean Bulletin: On-Farm Research

Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) in The Soybean Bulletin, where Brownfield's Brent Barnett talks with Brent Swart, the ISA Board President, about current on-farm research. Swart emphasizes the importance of giving back to farmer members with information about agronomy and conservation research over the years and The Research Center for Farm Innovation (RCFI). The RCFI team is focused on building a database for farmers across Iowa by researching soybean herbicides and planting populations and testing new products, management practices, and conservation applications.Sciences