Disaster declared for cherry crop in 11 Michigan counties

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared a disaster for the sweet cherry crop in several Michigan counties, the state says.

The disaster declaration issued Monday covers 11 counties: Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Crawford, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, Otsego and Wexford counties, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said in a Tuesday release.

MDARD said Michigan lost about 75% of its sweet cherry crop, citing a “mild winter and warm, wet early season” that made for a bad year for invasive spotted wing drosophila (a fly known to damage fruit crops) and of fungi like cherry leaf spot and American brown rot.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer notified the USDA of the problem in August, seeking a disaster declaration that makes certain federal support available to growers. Over the next eight months, farmers can apply for low-interest federal loans to help cover their losses. Information is available on the USDA Farm Service Agency website .

Michigan has had a good year for apples , with West Michigan growers touting “really good variety” that was ready for harvest early. The harvest for corn and soybeans was also ahead of schedule in West Michigan this year.

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