Lansing, MI - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm has officially requested federal disaster assistance from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Edward Schafer for farmers in nearly 70 Michigan counties who face fruit, vegetable, and field crop losses following two separate extreme weather events this year - storms which brought excessive rain, high winds, and flooding, and this summer’s drought.

“Michigan agriculture industry employs thousands of our citizens and contributes nearly $64 billion to our economy each year,” said Granholm.  “After the extreme weather conditions experienced this summer, this federal disaster assistance will ensure Michigan’s farming families are able to get the help they need.”

Between April 12 and September 16, 2008, excessive rain, high winds, and flooding devastated crop yields including corn, soybeans, fruit, and vegetables in 48 counties.  The impacted counties are: Allegan, Antrim, Barry, Bay, Benzie, Berrien, Calhoun, Cass, Chippewa, Clare, Clinton, Eaton, Gladwin, Grand Traverse, Huron, Ingham, Ionia, Iosco, Isabella, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lake, Lapeer, Leelanau, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Manistee, Mason, Menominee, Midland, Missaukee, Monroe, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oakland, Ogemaw, Ottawa, Sanilac, Shiawassee, St. Clair, St. Joseph, Tuscola, Van Buren, Washtenaw, Wayne, and Wexford.

From May 1 to September 27, 2008, 47 counties experienced drought conditions that particularly affected corn, hay, and fruit.  The impacted counties are: Alger, Antrim, Baraga, Barry, Benzie, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Delta, Dickinson, Eaton, Genesee, Gogebic, Grand Traverse, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Houghton, Ingham, Iron, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kalkaska, Kent, Keweenaw, Lake, Leelanau, Lenawee, Manistee, Marquette, Mason, Mecosta, Menominee, Monroe, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Ontonagon, Osceola, Otsego, Ottawa, Schoolcraft, Shiawassee, St. Joseph, Van Buren, Washtenaw, and Wayne.

Federal, state, and local agencies are working together to quickly and effectively assess crop losses and expedite the process to obtain a federal agricultural disaster declaration.  The Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) is working with the USDA-Farm Service Agency (FSA) to compile crop damage estimates resulting from Michigan’s extreme weather conditions.  USDA-FSA is the agency responsible for compiling the official crop loss statistics and administering the federal emergency farm loan programs.

To qualify for federal disaster status, the original crop loss estimates in Michigan must be verified from harvest yield data.  If losses of 30 percent or more are confirmed, and the disaster request is granted, eligible state producers will have access to USDA-FSA’s low-interest emergency loan program for up to 100 percent of their weather-related agriculture production losses.

For more information on the federal emergency farm loan programs, please visit the USDA-FSA Web site at http://www.fsa.usda.gov.