GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan —
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer responded to the third wettest weather period in state history by requesting a secretarial disaster designation from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This would benefit farmers who have been in a “state of crisis,” Whitmer said, by including 64 out of 83 counties in the state of Michigan as disaster areas so emergency loans are available to those suffering losses, according to the USDA.
“Michigan has a rich history in agriculture, and on behalf of our farmers, our families, and our economy, we need to take action now. I’m ready and eager to partner with the federal government to make sure Michigan farmers have the support they need during this difficult time,” she said.
There have been 37.9 inches of rain between May 1, 2018, and April 30, 2019, which has prevented Michigan farmers from planting their crops as usual.
They have only had three and a half days of proper weather conditions for field work as of June 9 this year.
Crops that Michigan is known for such as corn and soybeans are down from 88% to 63%, and soybeans at only 43%.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter.