Utah governor issues emergency declaration over crops lost to unseasonal weather
Utah Governor Spencer Cox has declared a 30-day state of emergency in 10 counties to address crop losses caused by unseasonal freezing temperatures in April.
In an executive order signed Friday, the governor specified that freezing temperatures that occurred in early and mid-April caused a 95% to 100% loss of crop production of apricots, sweet and tart cherries, plums, peaches, pears and apples. Wheat and alfalfa producers have also experienced losses.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox
“Conditions this year have already deeply affected agricultural producers here in Utah,” Cox said in a statement. “Due to an unexpected freeze in April following unseasonably warm conditions, many are facing devastating crop losses. This is the time in the season when emergency resources have the best chance to make a real difference in our farmers’ ability to survive and recover.”
The order gives affected farmers emergency access to resources from the United States Department of Agriculture and the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food for a month unless the state Legislature approves an extension. More information about that assistance will be released in coming days, a spokesperson for the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food said. However, the declaration immediately unlocks an emergency disaster relief loan the state offers.
The counties included in the order are Box Elder, Cache, Davis, Iron, Juab, Millard, Piute, Sanpete, Utah and Weber.
The governor’s office noted in a news release that the losses are expected to impact not only farmers, but also consumers, local markets and seasonal staffers that rely on the annual harvest.
Kelly Pehrson, commissioner of the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, thanked Cox for “acting quickly on this” and allowing the state to open up its disaster relief programs.
“In tough situations like crop loss, we have a duty to get assistance to producers and help them through seasons that might otherwise be too difficult to weather,” Pehrson said.