On Wednesday , Commissioner Randle met with 30 Farmer in Deerfield , Hadley , Hatfield , and Northampton , while other MDAR stave were on the ground throughout the Valley to assess the harm and render technical assistance . The Commissioner also joined Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and Rural Affairs Director Anne Gobi in Conway on Thursday to extend accompaniment .
Although MDAR is still assessing the damage , the way estimates at least 75 farms have been impacted , with over 1,000 acres of crop loss . That act will likely climb since state remains underwater and unobtainable due to standing water , with more rain forecasted . Today , MDAR ’s Produce Safety squad will gossip farm in Deerfield , Florence , Hadley , Sunderland , and Whately to dispatch assessments of impacted farm .
“ It is absolutely grievous to see the devastation this tempest has do our farming community , ” say MDAR Commissioner Randle . “ We have boots on the ground to get an accurate compass of the damage so we can go on work on with our local , state , and federal partners in attend our Fannie Farmer who continue to front these challenges . Despite these recent catastrophe , we know our Farmer are resilient , and we encourage consumer to remain support their local farms that corroborate the community they serve in so many ways . ”
The recent flooding is another incident in a series of extreme weather events this year . In February , the body politic experienced subzero temperatures that destroyed many crops , including stunner and other pitted fruits . Farmers were shoot intemperately again in May when a recent frost happened for three days , causing significant losses to blueberry , strawberry , and apple crops . The effect of these disasters threaten the local food system and will have minus repercussions on our local economy .
MDAR has been in close-fitting contact with land and federal agencies , including the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and the Farm Service Agency ( FSA ) of the United States Department of Agriculture ( USDA ) , to get together on ways to aid strike farms . The University of Massachusetts - Amherst Extension Services is also a vital partner in our technological outreach elbow grease to farms .
In an effort to assess the shell of the wallop , MDAR call for stakeholder to apportion legal injury write up from impact farm to help the delegacy appraise the extent of the situation . Farmers are encouraged to get hold of MDAR Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff Alisha Bouchard at[email protected]and Director of Produce Safety Michael Botelho at[email protected]with a report . Farmers should also attain out to Sue Scheufele , Production Agriculture Leader , at UMass Extension Center for Agriculture , Food , and the Environment . She can be reached at[email protected]or by calling ( 508 ) 397 3361 .
Farmers are also encouraged to get through their local FSA county office and indemnity factor to report damages and shock for covered crops .
Source : mass.gov
