Farmers across Snohomish County are counting on a change in the weather next week.
It’s about time, many say.
Gov. Chris Gregoire asked the federal government to designate Snohomish and 28 other counties in Washington as agricultural production disaster areas.
She made the request Thursday, after June left farmers on both sides of the state hit hard with winds, chilly temperatures and lots of rain during planting time and the early weeks of crop germination. Some lost portions of their crops and others had to start over and replant.
At the Biringer berry farm near Arlington, Dianna Biringer said her husband, Mike, probably won’t apply for any disaster aid that might become available.
As far as the governor’s request goes, the word “disaster” accurately sums up the recent spring, said Andrew Corbin, a faculty member at the Snohomish County Washington State University Extension.
Instead of seeing cornstalks knee-high by the Fourth of July, some farmers are just now getting their corn in the ground.
The heat forecast for next week should help, Corbin said.
Biringer Farm crews had to start over on the planting of pumpkins and corn, Dianna Biringer said.
South of Snohomish, Bob Ricci said 70 percent of his first planting of sweet corn didn’t make it.
Farmers who raise corn and berries have been hit particularly hard, said Holly Hedblom, acting county executive director of the Farm Service Agency in Lake Stevens. The agency is a local branch of the federal government.
Some corn farmers know their crop won’t mature like it should but they’re giving it a try anyway, and others are letting their fields lay fallow, Hedblom said.
Nobody has a monetary damage estimate yet, she said.
A U.S. Department of Agriculture disaster declaration would allow farmers to apply for disaster assistance payments through several programs administered by the Farm Service. Farmers may also be eligible for emergency low-interest loans to cover production and farm property losses, the governor’s office said.
To contact the Farm Service in Lake Stevens, call 425-335-5634.