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Weather damages fruit, forage crops

April 12, 2007|BOBBIE CURD

Don and Ann Haney of Haney's Apple Orchard in Nancy have many customers from the Danville area, but this year they are worried that the freezing weather will wipe out much of their crop.

Although the orchard still has live apples, most of the summer varieties are gone.

When asked about the monetary loss the Haneys may suffer, Don Haney said, "I don't want to think about it."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently put the word out that it plans to helps growers like the Haneys.

"The loss was set up by the extremely warm weather that we had previously, which put things kind of ahead of the normal growing season," said Jay Hettmansperger, Casey County agriculture extension agent.

"Then when you get temperatures down in the teens for several days in a row, it caught everything at bloom or in the early bud stage, which kills the flower and seed where it tries to fruit."

Kentucky farmers who have losses from the recent freezing weather should fill out a notice of loss and file it with their local Farm Service Agency office, officials said.

The form is filed under the Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program, but producers who did not purchase the coverage should still file the form, said Jeffery S. Hall, state executive director of the agency, which falls under the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"We are doing everything we can at FSA to help farmers recover from the losses brought by freezing temperatures," Hall said.

"I'm encouraging all producers to contact their local FSA office as soon as possible so they can report their loss."

Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer has asked Gov. Ernie Fletcher to seek disaster relief from the USDA after the freeze severely damaged apple and peach crops.

"Truthfully? In our area, fruit is just a small part of the damage," said Dan Grigson, Lincoln County agricultural agent. "The general publicity is going to fruits, but our main money crops like alfalfa and wheat suffered severe damage, the biggest damage."

Hettmansperger said although the damage was severe, he hopes no panic will ensue.

"These orchards will ship in fruit from other places," Hettmansperger said.

"They survive on people coming in to purchase their fruit, and they can bring it in. It doesn't mean they'll be closed this fall."

But Don Haney isn't so sure. "I don't know where you'd bring it in from," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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