July 2023 Flooding Coverage – CISA – Community Involved In Sustaining Agriculture

More aid to region’s farmers

Office — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 18:34:05 +0000

WESTERN MASS.

More aid to region’s farmers

Farm disaster fund disburses round of $3.3M in grants; state announces another $20M

By JAMES PENTLAND, Staff Writer
Daily Hampshire Gazette, December 12, 2023

NORTHAMPTON — Western and central Massachusetts farmers are being bolstered by $23.3 million in disaster relief from a philanthropic fund set up in the wake of July’s devastating floods and further state aid announced Monday by the Healey-Driscoll administration.

The Farm Resiliency Fund, established by the United Way of Central Massachusetts and Healey’s office after heavy rain across the region in early July caused riverside fields to flood, including hundreds of acres along the Connecticut River, has emptied its coffers and distributed a second round of grants to farmers in need.

In all, the fund has distributed $3.3 million to 228 farmers as of Dec. 4, the Community Fund of Western Massachusetts announced.

At the same time, the state is awarding farmers $20 million in disaster relief, with 94 farms in Hampshire County, southern Franklin County and Holyoke directly benefiting from the program.

“It’s helped immensely, all the farmers,” said Wally Czajkowski of Plainville Farm in Hadley, one of the beneficiaries of the Farm Resiliency Fund.

“We all have large bills through the end of the year.”

Czajkowski said the flooding reduced his winter squash crop to half what it should have been, and left soil-borne diseases that mean those fields can never be used to grow squash again.

Squash, tobacco and asparagus — which likes wet weather — are the farm’s main crops, with fields in Hampshire and Franklin counties.

The Community Fund and Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) have helped to administer the fund, which had collected more than $3 million by September from more than 650 individuals and businesses.

An initial round of grants went out Sept. 1 to 214 eligible farmers who submitted qualified applications. Almost all the applicants received $10,000, according to Philip Korman, CISA’s executive director, unless their need was less. A second round of grants, totaling approximately $1.2 million, has now gone out to some 70 farms, Korman said. Applicants in this round were screened on the basis of need. “You couldn’t get money in second round if you got money in the first round unless the need was $80,000 or more,” he said. Many of the 70 farms did receive money in both rounds because the need was so great, he said. Amounts distributed were between $5,000 and $35,000. “We knew (the fund) wouldn’t cover all the losses,” Korman said.

Community Fund CEO Megan Burke said communities came together quickly to help soften farmers’ losses. “We are grateful for the hundreds of donors that have given to the Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund in support of our hardworking farmers,” Burke said in a statement.

Tim Garvin, president and CEO of the United Way of Central Massachusetts, said the fund at this point has given out all the dollars given and pledged, but that’s not to say its work won’t continue. “When we were asked to stand up the fund it was with the awareness that this will not be the only weather event to affect Massachusetts farmers,” he said.

The partnership and the structure remain, he said, and if more donations come in, they will be held in readiness for the next area of need. Garvin said administering the fund “was a labor of love,” making special note of the letters of appreciation he had received from farmers.

“None of us knew what to expect when we got involved,” he said. “We soon recognized we were great collaborators, kindred spirits and friends. It has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”

Czajkowski said he thought all the farmers would like to thank the governor, Legislature and the organizations involved in the relief effort. “And thanks to all the people of Massachusetts, because that’s who bailed us out,” he said.

Crop loss fund

The United Way fund was focused only on flood damage. State government set up its own Natural Disaster Recovery Program with $20 million from the Legislature’s supplemental budget.

That fund is intended to reimburse farmers for all weather-related crop losses, which included freezes in February and May that blighted the peach and apple crops.

On Monday, Gov. Maura Healey announced that immediate assistance would go to 347 farmers in Western and Central Massachusetts who experienced significant crop losses.

Applicants were required to be a Massachusetts- based agricultural operation growing field crops, hay and forage crops, or produce crops. Eligible farms had to demonstrate that they suffered losses of greater than 15% of their total planted acreage during one of the 2023 natural disasters.

State Rep. Natalie M. Blais, D-Deerfield, said the storm damage experienced by farms over the summer was unfathomable. “This direct financial assistance will go a long way in helping to ensure the continued viability of our farms, thereby maintaining the bedrock of our local food system,” Blais said. “I stand alongside our farmers in deep gratitude for the prompt response of the Legislature and the Healey-Driscoll administration.”

Nearly $6.7 million from the state’s program is helping farms in the Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester district, said Sen. Jo Comerford, DNorthampton. “Today, $20 million is being delivered to farmers statewide to assist with recovering and rebuilding from natural disasters,” Comerford said. But that fund, too, will be insufficient to cover the losses.

Phu Mai, communications director for the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, said the state had received 356 applications from farmers reporting losses valued at $65 million and requesting $42 million in aid.

In August, MDAR estimated at least 148 farms had been impacted by flooding, with over 2,700 acres in crop losses

Massachusetts farmers receiving money to help cover extreme weather-related losses

Office — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 18:31:06 +0000

WAMC Northeast Public Radio | By Paul Tuthill

Published December 12, 2023 at 10:01 AM EST

Payments made to hundreds of farmers impacted by freezes, floods

Massachusetts is distributing $20 million to almost 350 farmers who sustained significant crop losses due to extreme weather this year that included a deep freeze in February, a frost in late May, and catastrophic flooding in July.

The money was included in a supplemental budget Gov. Maura Healey signed last August.

Additionally, the Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund has given $3.3 million to more than 225 farmers impacted by last summer’s floods.

Phil Korman, Executive Director of Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, helped to setup the philanthropic fund. He spoke with WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill.

Listen here

WBUR: How one farm is doing after July floods in Western Mass.

Office — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 17:28:13 +0000

August 08, 2023

It’s been almost a month since parts of Western Massachusetts were hit hard by extreme weather and flooding. The state’s Department of Agricultural Resources estimates that 110 farms were affected by the severe weather, and that related losses total $15 million.

Stone Soup Farm in Hadley, MA is among them.

The Recorder: Floods inspire talks in Conway, Deerfield on prepping farmers for changing climate

Office — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 13:54:07 +0000

Published: 8/2/2023 6:09:12 PM, By CHRIS LARABEE

CONWAY — As farms around the region determine their plans going forward following unprecedented rainstorms, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and several other state and federal partners emphasized the opportunity in this moment to prepare farmers for a changing climate.

In a visit to Natural Roots farm in Conway, which was devastated by the initial July 10 flooding of the South River, alongside subsequent storms on July 16 and 21, Markey met with the farm’s owners and workers, as well as other area farmers to discuss what comes next for an industry reeling from relentless rain.

“This is the moment — either pull all the resources and all the people together and make the changes that we need to change,” Natural Roots founder David Fisher told the group gathered at his flooded fields on Wednesday, “or we miss our chance.”

As a result of the flooding, Natural Roots, a community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm, has lost 95% of its annual crop, meaning its more than 200 families will receive little produce, if any, this season.

Fisher attributed the flooding to climate change, which Markey agreed with, noting that much of the focus on climate change in Massachusetts is focused on the Boston Harbor’s rapidly warming waters, which can “supercharge” storms. However, the spotlight also needs to be put on those producing food for the state.

“What people don’t understand are the 22,000 Massachusetts citizens engaged in farming and the impact climate change is having on them,” Markey said, “and the very real and, potentially, existential threat it poses to their way of life.”

While not related to the July flooding, Meredith Wecker, a farmer at Heath’s The Benson Place blueberry farm, said a May frost event killed 99% of their products.

“How does government in New England support small farmers that don’t have the same kinds of margins of farmers out West and the Midwest?” Wecker said. “You can’t point to one event and say, ‘This is climate change.’”

Wecker mentioned the “scale” of these weather events is different, while Markey noted these extreme instances are not just examples of global warming, but “global weirding.”

“We can’t just pretend that it doesn’t trickle down into real-life consequences for the farmers of western Massachusetts,” he added.

Speaking to a host of government representatives, Markey said it’s going to take an all-hands-on-deck effort to support farmers who have lost their main source of income, as well as residents who rely on farmers for their food.

“It’s going to take a village to help the people who live in the village,” Markey said. “We want to be here the whole way to make sure you can maximize all of the federal and state benefits that are available to get you back on your feet.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture this week officially declared Franklin and Hampshire counties as disaster areas due to flooding between July 9 and July 16, and has opened up several avenues to help farmers recover.

On the state level, the Legislature approved a $200 million supplemental budget Monday that includes $20 million in relief funding for farmers.

While the continuous support is appreciated, Fisher said government policies may need to be shifted to better support farmers. He recalled a trip to Switzerland, where evidence of the government’s support of farms was visible.

“It was extremely clear there was some relationship between the government and the farms that made for an incredibly vibrant agricultural economy,” Fisher said. “They do direct payments to farmers based on a percentage of gross revenue every year. I don’t know if that’s an answer to our problems, but the message there is that the government is adamant they want to keep those farmers in business.”

In a time like this, Markey said re-examining the government’s partnerships could be a winning strategy, but every day that passes is another day the climate threat grows.

“We have to reconceptualize the federal government because the vulnerability to the farming community is going to grow, as each week, month and year go by,” Markey said. “The planet is running a fever and there are no emergency rooms for planets, so we have to make sure you get the assistance, which you need in order to take care of yourself.”

Infrastructure discussions

In Conway, a brief discussion was held about the nearly $2.2 million in damages the town’s roads experienced. Markey also made a trip to the intersection of Pine Nook and County roads in Deerfield to speak with town officials about the estimated $4 million in damages that Deerfield sustained in July.

Conway Selectboard Chair Philip Kantor emphasized the damages to roads throughout the community — with a price tag nearly equal to one-third of the annual town budget — is unprecedented and the town will need help to avoid financial devastation.

“The amount of damage … we have suffered is historic and unmanageable by us,” Kantor said. “We all need help and we’re hoping that your visit will unlock some of that.”

Recapping the damages in Deerfield, Selectboard Chair Carolyn Shores Ness said officials are estimating an initial $4 million price tag in immediate repairs to roads around town. As of Wednesday afternoon, Pine Nook, Lower and Hoosac roads remain closed due to washouts.

Estimates to stabilize the roads are currently set at $400,000 to $600,000 for Lower Road; $500,000 for Hoosac Road; and $800,000 to $1 million for Pine Nook Road. Other damaged areas in Deerfield include two areas on River Road, Hawks Road and several other washouts.

To help ease the strain on the town, Shores Ness said she has been working with other regional agencies, including the Northeast Association of Conservation Districts, to rally federal funding for New England. One avenue she’d like them to explore is the USDA’s Emergency Watershed Program (EWP), which supplies federal resources to communities after natural disasters.

“We’re hoping that Markey will be leading the charge on that with Bernie Sanders,” Shores Ness said.

She is also hopeful the state can chip in some resources.

“We’re going to cope as best we can,” Shores Ness added. “We need the state Legislature, just like they stepped up for the farmers, they need to step up for the municipalities and give us a few million dollars, at least to get us through the stabilization part.”

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.

The Recorder: Farms, floods, and climate change

Office — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 11:22:51 +0000

The Recorder, July 25, 2023

GUEST COLUMN: Farms, floods, and climate change

By CLAIRE MORENON, MARGARET CHRISTIE and PHIL KORMAN

On July 10, heavy rains led to widespread flooding alongside small rivers and creeks throughout our region. The next day, the Connecticut River overflowed its banks to levels not seen since Hurricane Irene in 2011.

This flooding event was fast in some ways — the fields at Natural Roots Farm in Conway, along the South River, filled with water as farmers and their draft horses worked to save their deluged chickens and equipment. And it was slow in others, as farmers watched and waited over 24 hours to see how high the Connecticut River would rise.

Heavy rain has continued to fall, making some fields that didn’t flood too wet to access for farmwork and increasing the likelihood of plant diseases that thrive in wet conditions.

Flooding is catastrophic for farms in many ways, and the timing of this flood is especially damaging. Floodwaters sweep away plants, livestock, equipment and topsoil. Plants that survive generally can’t be harvested and eaten, because floodwater is often contaminated with road runoff, sewage overflow, and other contaminants. Any edible part of a plant that contacts flood water or flooded soil can’t be sold or donated. A flood in early July has huge financial implications for the farms that were flooded: They have devoted immense time and money to growing and maintaining crops which are now unsalable, and they may not be able to plant and harvest new crops before the growing season is over. Flooding impacted farms of all kinds: small start-ups, some of them operated by immigrant and refugee farmers; long-standing, diverse vegetable operations that sell directly to consumers through farm stands and CSAs; and large wholesale operations that supply supermarkets and corner stores across the state. Farms of all sizes donate produce, too, so food pantries and food banks are also impacted.

The response to this disaster has been swift. Farmers have donated produce and young plants to flooded farms. Community members have contributed generously, and volunteers have turned out to help clean up mud and debris. State and federal elected leaders came to see the damage and hear directly from farmers. Local legislators, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, UMass Cooperative Extension, and nonprofits that focus on food and farms worked quickly and cooperatively to tally losses, address immediate needs, and plan for a more comprehensive response to this and future climate-related disasters.

On Thursday, Gov. Maura Healey, in her second western Mass. visit in three days, announced the launch of the Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund, a public/private initiative that offers a place to donate, a source of grants for impacted farms statewide, and the beginnings of a safety net for future climate change events. In addition, advocates are hopeful that state legislators will include a farm disaster fund in their supplemental budget.

This flood is the third weather event this year to bring widespread losses to local farms: Peach buds were killed in February in a weekend cold snap during an otherwise warm winter, and a late frost in May greatly reduced blueberry and apple harvests. These events match climate change predictions for our region, which include wild temperature fluctuations, increased precipitation, and higher summer temperatures.

Local farmers have already begun to adjust their growing practices to increase resilience in the face of these changes. But to survive, they need more help. This must include more funding for research into climate- adapted farming practices, more financial support for farmers in making those changes, and a more robust emergency response system.

Climate change will make extreme weather events more frequent. Recent flooding and freezes show the devastation these events can cause — and the response that’s possible. Farms saw an outpouring of community support, and Massachusetts has begun to build the capacity for the larger response that will get us through this disaster and the ones to come.

Right now, funds are desperately needed. Go to buylocalfood. org to donate to the new Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund, individual farm fundraisers, and C I S A’s Emergency Farm Fund, which provides no-interest farm loans. And don’t forget that using your grocery dollars to buy local food offers a two-part benefit: investing in local farms while enjoying summer’s bounty.

Claire Morenon is communications manager, Margaret Christie special projects manager and Philip Korman executive director of CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture).

WHMP: Food, Floods, Photos & the Local Solar Array Fight

Office — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 13:07:57 +0000

Food, Floods, Photos & the Local Solar Array Fight

Posted on WHMP, July 20, 2023 by dtorres

Facing up to climate-driven farm disasters, today and tomorrow (Commentary)

CISA — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 09:18:17 +0000

Published July 23, 2023 in The Republican, and July 25th, 2023 in the Daily Hampshire Gazette and The Recorder

By Claire Morenon, Philip Korman, and Margaret Christie

Paul Shoul Photo

This flooding event was fast in some ways – the fields at Natural Roots Farm in Conway, along the South River, filled with water as farmers and their draft horses worked to save their deluged chickens and equipment. And it was slow in others, as farmers watched and waited over 24 hours to see how high the Connecticut River would rise.

Heavy rain has continued to fall, making some fields that didn’t flood too wet to access for farm work and increasing the likelihood of plant diseases that thrive in wet conditions.

Flooding is catastrophic for farms in many ways. The timing of this flood is especially damaging.

Flood waters sweep away plants, livestock, equipment and topsoil. Plants that survive generally can’t be harvested and eaten, because flood water is often contaminated with road runoff, sewage overflow, and other contaminants. Any edible part of a plant that contacts flood water or flooded soil can’t be sold or donated.

A flood that hits in early July has huge financial implications for the farms that were flooded: they have devoted immense time and money to growing and maintaining crops which are now unsalable, and they may not be able to plant and harvest new crops before the growing season is over.

Flooding impacted farms of all kinds: small start-ups, some of them operated by immigrant and refugee farmers; long-standing, diverse vegetable operations that sell directly to consumers through farm stands and CSAs; and large wholesale operations that supply supermarkets and corner stores across the state.

Farms of all sizes donate produce, too, so food pantries and food banks are also impacted.

Paul Shoul photo

State and federal elected leaders came to see the damage and hear directly from farmers. Local legislators, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, UMass Cooperative Extension, and nonprofits that focus on food and farms worked quickly and cooperatively to tally losses, address immediate needs and plan for a more comprehensive response to this and future climate-related disasters.

On Thursday, Gov. Maura T. Healey, in her second western Mass visit in three days, announced the launch of the Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund, a public/private initiative that offers a place to donate, a source of grants for impacted farms statewide and the beginnings of a safety net for future climate change events.

In addition, advocates are hopeful that state legislators will include a farm disaster fund in their supplemental budget.

Paul Shoul photo

Farmers are resilient and adaptable. Farming has always been a weather-dependent, narrow-margin occupation. But the weather extremes of our changing climate are bigger and more damaging than the everyday unpredictability of New England weather. This flood is the third weather event this year to bring widespread losses to local farms: peach buds were killed in February in a weekend cold snap during an otherwise warm winter. And a late frost in May greatly reduced blueberry and apple harvests.

These events match climate change predictions for our region, which include wild temperature fluctuations, increased precipitation and higher summer temperatures.

Local farmers have already begun to adjust their growing practices to increase resilience in the face of these changes. But to survive, they need more help. This must include more funding for research into climate-adapted farming practices, more financial support for farmers in making those changes and a more robust emergency response system.

Climate change will make extreme weather events more frequent. Recent flooding and freezes show the devastation these events can cause — and the response that’s possible. Farms saw an outpouring of community support. Massachusetts has begun to build the capacity for the larger response that will get us through this disaster and the ones to come.

Right now, funds are desperately needed. Go to buylocalfood.org to donate to the new Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund, individual farm fundraisers and CISA’s Emergency Farm Fund, which provides no-interest farm loans.

And don’t forget that using your grocery dollars to buy local food offers a two-part benefit: investing in local farms while enjoying summer’s bounty.

Claire Morenon is communications manager with CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture). Margaret Christie is CISA’s Special Projects Director. Philip Korman is the group’s executive director.

Republican: Flooded farmers face $15 million in damages

Office — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 14:01:13 +0000

Flooded farmers face $15 million in damages; Big E, CISA plan statewide relief effort

Updated: Jul. 18, 2023, 6:48 p.m.Published: Jul. 18, 2023, 6:22 p.m.
Jim Kinney | jkinney@repub.com

Ag boosters and community leaders — including the Big E — learned Tuesday that more than 75 Massachusetts farmers suffered flood damage or complete destruction to 2,000 acres of crops.

The losses from last week’s rain-driven flooding along the Connecticut River and its tributaries could reach $12 million to $15 million, said Eugene J. Cassidy, president and CEO of the Eastern States Exposition.

“Which is going to have an effect,” Cassidy said Tuesday. “These are businesses that have a payroll. Soup kitchens and food banks rely on this produce. I’m worried that we will move on to the next news cycle, and this will be forgotten.”

The Big E — which has always promoted agriculture as part of its mission — put up $10,000 toward relief efforts, Cassidy said.

“We always say, ‘No farmers, no food,’” he said. “We might see that.”

Tuesday, the Big E and groups including CISA — Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture — The Grinspoon Charitable Foundation (which offers Local Farmer Awards), the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and others met to begin a coordinated fundraising effort and a means of getting aid out the door.

“The problem is so big, it requires a whole bunch of participants,” said Mark Gold, director of the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation. “We understand we can’t provide it all. And we don’t believe we should be providing it all.”

Philanthropist Harold Grinspoon himself has pledged $50,000, Gold said. The foundation has partners, including Big Y Foods, and the Massachusetts Society for the Preservation of Agriculture already has a database of farmers.

“We’ve been standing with farmers for nine years, and we aren’t going to walk away from them now,” Gold said.

Megan Burke, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, said a coordinated effort is taking shape.

“I think all of us are trying to make sure we can pull together information like that in one place,” she said.

Executive Director Philip Korman said CISA has one applicant so far for its zero-interest Emergency Farm Fund. The fund provides loans to farms in the wake of extreme weather and is accepting applications for loans up to $25,000 for farms affected by the July floods or by damaging freezes earlier this year.

Donations are being accepted at CISA’s website, buylocalfood.org. Visitors to the site can also make donations.

Korman said CISA has assembled links to all online fund campaigns for various farms in one place for the convenience of donors at buylocalfood.org.

He estimates it’ll take millions in private money on top of the state and federal funding to help farms get through this.

Local legislators are working through the state’s supplemental budget process.

And U.S. Sen Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., toured damaged farms this week with U.S. Rep. James McGovern, D-Worcester.

CISA’s Emergency Farm Fund grew out of the destruction of Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. Korman said climate change will make disasters more frequent.

“How do we get farmers back on their feet again to grow for our families?” he asked.

Full link.

CISA emergency loan fund opened to help western Mass. farms inundated by flood waters

Office — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 13:32:33 +0000

WAMC Northeast Public Radio | By Paul Tuthill

Published July 17, 2023 at 5:00 PM EDT

Some individual farmers launch GoFundMe appeals

Farmers in western Massachusetts are tallying their crop losses from this past week’s floods even as more heavy rain over the weekend devastated fields.

While state officials consider including financial aide in a supplemental budget, and members of Congress lobby the White House for a disaster declaration, a local nonprofit has stepped up to help.

Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture is offering financial help and technical assistance. WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill spoke with CISA’s executive director Phil Korman.

Click here to listen.

Boston Globe: Tornado touched down in North Brookfield on Sunday, as torrential rains pounded Massachusetts

CISA — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 10:12:41 +0000

Severe weather battered the state Sunday, as a tornado touched down in North Brookfield and powerful thunderstorms dumped inches of rain in some areas, flooding streets and slamming farms already beleaguered by downpours just days ago.

The tornado that struck North Brookfield just before 11 a.m. damaged trees, but no injuries were reported.

In Fitchburg, images of floodwater gushing down roadways were shared on social media.

And for the state’s farms — which had also suffered damaging deep freezes earlier this year — Sunday’s rains only exacerbated their struggles.

Brittany Terry, the farm manager at Natural Roots Farm in Conway, said the storms have caused an estimated $100,000 in losses, plus tens of thousands more in cleanup and repair costs.

‘It’s completely catastrophic to our business this year,” Terry said. “A lot of the things that we had in the ground were lost, there’s absolutely no way for us to even try to replant them.”

Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll toured the farm last week to survey storm damage.

The volatile weather that struck the state Sunday was part of storm activity that soaked the Northeast — from Washington D.C. to Maine, as well as parts of New York and Pennsylvania — with heavy rain and spurred flash flood warnings, according to the weather service.

A tornado watch was in place for most of Massachusetts Sunday from early morning to 3 p.m. At one point during the morning, more than 3,300 customers lost power, according to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. There were about 970 outages by late Sunday night.

The wild weather came on the heels of devastating storms that struck the western part of Massachusetts last week and damaged scores of farms, ruined crops, washed out roads, and left some spots inaccessible due to standing water.

Officials have toured the areas damaged by the earlier storms, including Governor Maura Healey, US Senator Elizabeth Warren, and US Representative James McGovern, along with Driscoll.

Warren said in a statement to the Globe Sunday afternoon that more must be done to support the farms damaged by the severe weather.

“I’m deeply concerned about both the immediate crop loss and also the long-term impact, and working with state and federal officials to explore recovery resources,” she said.

At least 75 farms have been affected by the storms in Massachusetts, with more than 1,000 acres of crop losses, according to the state Department of Agricultural Resources.

Karissa Hand, a spokesperson for Healey, said in a statement that the governor and Driscoll are concerned about the impacts of the flooding on Massachusetts farms.

“We have been in constant contact with farms, other institutions in our local food supply chain, and local officials, with several members of our administration visiting impacted farms over the past week,” Hand said. “We are continuing to assess the scale of the ongoing damage and working closely with our federal partners to identify badly needed funding assistance that may be available.”

Healey is expected to visit farms affected by the storm again this week, according to her office. The state has set up a website for people and businesses seeking help to recover from this month’s storm activity.

Philip Korman, executive director of Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, which works with about 250 farms in Central and Western Massachusetts, said farms have been facing more weather changes that have become increasingly harder to predict.

“It seems pretty obvious that weather patterns have changed dramatically, and we don’t yet know what that new pattern is,” Korman said. “This seemed to come without warning. Farmers had no real opportunity to protect crops.”

He said state and federal governments must do more to help shore up farms, including launching a dedicated disaster relief fund to support them now and during future crises.

The forecast for the coming week in Western Massachusetts indicates more wet weather.

While no rain is anticipated Monday, forecasters predict rainfall on Tuesday. Showers and thunderstorms will likely roll in during the afternoon, plus more storms during the evening.

And after a respite from rain Wednesday, there is a chance of showers Thursday during the day and evening. Thunderstorms are likely on Friday, according to forecasters.

Terry, with the Conway farm, said they’ve launched a GoFundMe to raise $85,000, which is needed to cover losses and the cost of repairs from the rains.

She said last week’s storms washed out a road, toppled trees, and flooded fields. Even if produce wasn’t carried away by the flooding, the contaminated water means that those plantings can’t be used for food.

“We’re not able to harvest any of it, and it’s just so heartbreaking,” she said. “This type of flooding is like a once-in-100-year event and now it has happened twice in the last few decades with [Tropical Storm] Irene and now… it’s scary.”

Globe correspondents Bailey Allen and Nick Stoico contributed to this report.

John Hilliard can be reached at john.hilliard@globe.com.

Boston Globe: Warren, McGovern visit farms affected by flooding

CISA — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 21:18:59 +0000

After a rain-filled week estimated by the state to have damaged more than 1,000 acres of crops, Sunday’s weather forecast promised more bad news: rain.

“The weather in the last 10 to 15 years seems like it’s getting worse and worse,” said Mike Antonellis, who farms in Deerfield and Adams. “There’s no happy medium anymore.”

Two members of the state’s Congressional delegation, US Senator Elizabeth Warren and US Representative Jim McGovern, visited his Ciesluk Farmstand in Deerfield Saturday to assess crop damage in western Massachusetts due to heavy rains and flooding over three days last week, from Sunday through Tuesday.

“The problem is bad and it’s not over,” Warren said in Deerfield, according to a recording of an interview she gave to The Recorder newspaper in Greenfield and that her office shared with the Globe. “We’re talking to local farmers who have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars. These floods came at a terrible moment.”

A flood watch goes into effect for most of Massachusetts late Saturday, lasting until late Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

Bill Leatham, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Norton, predicted rainfall of 1 to 3 inches, with the potential for up to 4 inches of rain.

Local, state, and federal officials have been visiting western Massachusetts over the past week to assess damage at farms and other locations.

On Wednesday, Governor Maura Healey visited the Pioneer Valley and Berkshires, making stops in Williamsburg and North Adams. She told reporters she hadn’t ruled out the possibility of seeking aid from the federal government.

On Thursday, Lieutenant Governor Kimberly Driscoll visited Conway, with Ashley Randle, commissioner of the state Department of Agricultural Resources, according to a news release.

The state estimates at least 75 farms have been affected so far and expects that number to climb with more rain and delays in reaching areas that have been rendered inaccessible by standing water, the release said.

During a visit to McKinstry’s Market Garden‘s fields in Hadley on Saturday, McGovern, a Democrat from Worcester, said the state’s Congressional delegation would work with Healey and state lawmakers to seek a federal disaster declaration from President Biden if the losses qualify for such assistance.

Many small farms need a direct infusion of cash, he said.

“They don’t want any more loans. They need direct grant assistance,” McGovern told reporters, according to a recording of his remarks provided by Warren’s office.

Antonellis estimated the flooding wiped out 90 percent of his crops, costing about $400,000, about half of his farm’s average annual revenue.

Photographs taken by a drone above Antonellis’s farm in Deerfield and published on Facebook showed large sections of cornfields underwater.

“It’s a horrible time of year for it to happen,” Antonellis said. “We just started picking last week. We haven’t harvested much crop off the field so it’s a pretty big loss for us overall.”

His sister, Jennifer, said some of the lost crop includes corn that the farm had managed to save from a late frost in May.

The three-day spring frost caused significant losses to blueberry, strawberry, and apple crops, the state said. Subzero temperatures in February also damaged peaches and other pitted fruits, according to the state.

Speaking in Hadley, Warren and McGovern said soil on flooded farmlands will have to be tested for bacteria in the fall to determine whether it is safe for planting.

“This is a big deal,” McGovern said.

Shelley Szawlowski of Szawlowski Potato Farms said flooding from the Connecticut River was responsible for most of the crop damage. The farm covers about 2,000 acres in Hatfield and Northampton, she said.

“We handled a lot of the rain,” she said in a phone interview. “It was the river that did the most damage.”

On Saturday, the National Weather Service listed four spots in Massachusetts where rivers are near flood stage: the Connecticut River in Montague and Northampton; the Hoosic River near Williamstown; and the North Nashua River in Fitchburg.

Szawlowski said the farm had yet to begin harvesting potatoes when the flooding started. Potatoes submerged in water for long periods absorb moisture and develop disease, she said.

“They basically turn into cream puffs,” Szawlowski said. “They get heated underground. They’re not usable after that.”

She said the farm needs better assistance than offers for low-interest loans.

“It’s very expensive to farm nowadays,” Szawlowski said. “We work on really small percentages.”

Laura Crimaldi can be reached at laura.crimaldi@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @lauracrimaldi

Recorder: Conway farm launches GoFundMe following flooding; CISA aid available to other farmers

CISA — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 07:27:57 +0000

Conway farm launches GoFundMe following flooding; CISA aid available to other farmers

By CHRIS LARABEE

Staff Writer

Published: 7/14/2023 3:22:52 PM

CONWAY — With Natural Roots anticipating a total loss of its main fields following Monday’s flooding, the farmers have started a GoFundMe to help recoup their losses.

After assessing the damage left in the wake of the storm, alongside visits from representatives of the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Natural Roots has launched a fundraiser with the goal of raising $85,000. The GoFundMe can be accessed at gofund.me/38d662ed.

Natural Roots owner David Fisher speaks to Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner Ashley Randle, as state officials assessed damage at the Conway farm on Thursday. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/JOSH QUALLS, GOVERNOR’S PHOTOGRAPHER

“The financial implications from this event are insurmountable without community support,” farm manager Brittany Terry said in a statement. “Losses like this are impossible to absorb into the shoestring margins that farms like ours already work within. As resilient and adaptable as we are, we will be unable to keep our farm going without help, so we have launched a GoFundMe to raise the $85,000 we need now to cover our lost income and rebuild our farm.”

When Monday’s torrential downpours ran through the region, Natural Roots, a horse-powered, community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm on Shelburne Falls Road in Conway, took one of the worst hits in the county. The South River ran over its banks and swept 4 feet of water over the farm’s main fields, flattening, uprooting and destroying the crops planted there.

With a tight-knit community in Conway, alongside the more than 200 families participating in the CSA, Natural Roots has seen a lot of support in recent days. The morning after the flood, dozens of volunteers made their way to the farm to help clean up debris, and local and state politicians, like Rep. Natalie Blais, have also visited to survey the damage and offer support.

That support continues, with more than $34,000 raised as of 1:30 p.m. on Friday.

“The full extent of the flood damage is still unfolding, but it is our intention to continue to steward this land and offer nourishment to our community,” owner David Fisher, who founded the farm in 1998, said in a statement. “We are profoundly grateful for all of the community support we are receiving through this extremely challenging time.”

CISA reopening Emergency Farm Fund

As Natural Roots’ peers around the county also assess the damage, Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) has partnered with the Franklin County Community Development Corporation and the Pioneer Valley Grows Investment Fund to reopen its Emergency Farm Fund.

The Emergency Farm Fund offers zero-interest loans of up to $25,000 for farms in Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties that are struggling to meet their immediate financial needs because of income, crop or equipment loss due to weather events. Farms affected by this week’s flooding and the spring’s two separate freezes are eligible.

Natural Roots farm in Conway is anticipating a 100% loss of its main field of crops following Monday’s flooding and it has launched a GoFundMe to help cover the losses. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/JOSH QUALLS, GOVERNOR’S PHOTOGRAPHER

“As weather patterns shift and extreme weather becomes more common due to climate change, CISA’s Emergency Farm Fund is here to provide zero-interest, quick-response loans to help farmers make it through so they can keep farming,” CISA Executive Director Philip Korman said in a statement. “We’re grateful to our partners and to the many members of our community who have donated to the fund so that we can be there when farms need this kind of emergency support.”

Reviews of loan applications will begin on Aug. 1 and applications will be accepted through Oct. 1. Application information can be found at buylocalfood.org/eff. Donations to the fund can be made at buylocalfoord.org/emergencygive.

The Emergency Farm Fund was established in response to Hurricane Irene in 2011, and has provided nearly $500,000 to 54 farms. It is administered jointly by CISA and the Franklin County CDC.

“It’s heartening to see the quick response of many farm service providers and the western Mass legislative delegation, and we also know that the fast turnaround time that the Emergency Farm Fund can offer, in addition to the zero-interest loan terms, fills a vital gap in the safety net that is available to farms in the wake of such emergencies,” John Waite, executive director of the Franklin County CDC, said in a statement. “The Pioneer Valley Grows Investment Fund is funded by community members who care about our food system, so these emergency loans are a perfect use of these resources.”