Sep 27, 2023

Michigan Vegetable Council seeks disaster declaration for summer flooding

The Michigan Vegetable Council is seeking disaster area designations for three counties following substantial losses during summer flooding this summer.

The council supports the designation for Lapeer, Macomb and Monroe counties, which could lead to disaster aid for vegetable growers who suffered substantial losses. According to a letter from Greg Bird, executive director of the Michigan Vegetable Council, to members of Congress from the state, the council has collected data from 10 growers who alone reported more than $20 million in losses.The letter, dated Sept. 22, went to Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Rep. Lisa McClain, Rep. Tim Walberg, the USDA’s Farm Service Agency and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The letter includes information on damage to farm operations in the three counties, along with St. Clair and Washtenow counties.

The letter documents damages from rains over an extended period of time, and a late-August deluge that flooded the Detroit Metro Airport as well as fields. The Michigan Vegetable Council posted four videos of summer flooding on its YouTube channel.