Washington and Oregon cherry growers are eligible for emergency loans following crop losses in 2023.

In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved Oregon’s request for a natural disaster designation after the state’s cherry growers lost an average of 35 percent of their crop. 

The designation cites two weather events in July that caused crop loss: excessive rain in Hood River County and a drought and heat event in Wasco County, according to a news release from the Oregon governor’s office. Under this designation, growers in the primarily impacted counties and neighboring counties are eligible to apply for emergency loans from the USDA Farm Service Agency through October of this year.

In March, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved Washington’s request for a natural disaster designation due to losses during last year’s cherry crop.

The designation cites the excessive heat that started in the spring, which — as growers well recall — resulted in the state cherry crop compressing into a narrow harvest window. Impacted growers will be eligible to apply for emergency loans from the USDA Farm Service Agency.

The primary counties listed as impacted are Adams, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, Walla Walla and Yakima. Growers in neighboring counties in Washington and Oregon are eligible as well. 

Meanwhile, the Northwest Horticultural Council and other industry groups have sought disaster assistance payments for Northwest cherry growers. That would require support from Congress, and it’s unclear if or when lawmakers might act on that issue, said Mark Powers, executive director of the council, in an update given to the Washington State Fruit Commission board of directors in March. 

Source - https://www.goodfruit.com