Disaster designation requested: 10 Wisconsin counties suffered significant crop losses last May

MADISON -- Gov. Scott Walker requested on Monday, November 28th a Secretarial Disaster Designation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for producers in 10 Wisconsin counties that suffered crop losses following freezing temperatures last May.

The counties included in this request are Chippewa, Columbia, Eau Claire, Jackson, Jefferson, Pierce, Polk, Sauk, St. Croix, and Trempealeau.

The 10 counties included in the designation request experienced frost and freezing temperatures recorded on the nights of May 13 and 14, 2016, with temperatures reaching as low as 25 degrees. Due to the low temperatures, certain crops were affected, such as apples and other perennial crops that had begun to blossom or bud. All counties impacted experienced harvest losses of 30 percent or greater for apples, asparagus, blueberries, hops, and strawberries.

Gov. Walker asked USDA Secretary Vilsack for the disaster designation following the harvest so crop losses could be fully determined.