Letter to Secretary Tom Vilsack, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Letter

Secretary Tom Vilsack
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20250

Dear Secretary Vilsack,

We ask that disaster assistance from the United States Department of Agriculture be provided to Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Cortland, Erie, Lewis, Niagara, Oneida, Ontario, Oswego, Schuyler, Seneca, Tompkins, Wayne and Yates Counties, New York in order to aid to the farmers who were significantly impacted by recent extreme weather.

Upstate New York was struck by several bouts of severe weather this spring including excessive rain, flooding, hail and high winds. These storms have wreaked havoc for farmers trying to put their crops in the ground or protect what they have already sown. This April was the rainiest April on record in western and central New York with more than 5.8 inches of rainfall in the Rochester region alone, which is more than twice the norm. Farmers across upstate New York have been forced to delay plantings which can lead to lower yields this season.

Due to this severe situation affecting the farming community and the local economy across Upstate New York, we ask that you provide disaster assistance in an expedited manner.

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