WI Federal Disaster Declaration: 2012 Maple Season
June 27, 2012: Governor Scott Walker, (R-WI) has requested the USDA Secretary of Agriculture to declare that Wisconsin Maple production was a disaster as a result of weather during the 2012 season. Duh? We knew that!
No doubt the request, if granted, is intended to turn on the Federal $$ faucet and let money flow from Washington to affected maple producers in Wisconsin.
Personally, in all my years, I have never seen the Fed's open their checkbook to come rescue a maple season. Didn't know they could or even would. Read the article below. It sounds as if your production was over "30 percent less" than some prior year, you qualify for Federal Aid!
I thought "we" just went with the weather, got what we got, and called it a good, bad or so-so season, hoping next year would be better. That's sguaring! I don't know any sugarmaker that's ever had it in the back of his mind that if we had a bad - or even non-existent season - the Federal government had our backside and would come bail us out of a financial jam.
To me this feels somehow "odd", especially since this is a Republican Governor with his hands out to a Democratic President and administration. Does someone know if Wisconsin Sugarmaker's asked for this to be requested on behalf of the WI maple producers? I somehow doubt a city-slicker Governor sitting in his office in "Madison" thought it up all by himself!
What do you guys think on this? If Governor Walker gets the disaster declaration he asked for, should Maple Producers step up to the Government Pay Window?
A lot of us have been reading the "CODE ENFORCER" story for months coming out of New York State. Is this "disaster declaration" going to mean yet another step toward more Government "participation" in the maple industry? Does it mean price supports...quotas...Maple crop insurance might one day be part of this business or hobby?
If you are in one of the affected Counties (Door, Florence, Kewaunee, Marinette and Shawano), would you take Uncle Sam's Maple Money?
I don't know if there is a right or wrong answer here - but let's discuss the pros and cons.
An article from the Green Bay Press Gazette is copied below for your review.
Steve
MADISON (June 27, 2012) — Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) on Friday requested two federal agricultural disaster declarations for Wisconsin to help farmers who sustained losses this spring and summer as a result of extreme weather conditions that affected fruit trees and the maple syrup collection.
“Agriculture is the backbone of Wisconsin’s economy and many farmers are hurting as a result of unseasonable weather over the last year,” Walker said in a statement. “The hot conditions in March followed by a cold, wet April damaged many crops including Door County cherries and northern Wisconsin’s maple syrup harvest.”
Walker requested the Disaster Declarations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The first request is for the entire state for the anticipated fruit tree losses. Agriculture officials estimate statewide losses could potentially be as high as 80 percent.
In addition, state agriculture officials report that the maple syrup losses were greater than 30 percent this spring as a result of the early warm weather in March followed by a cold April. The area counties listed in the request for maple syrup losses are Door, Florence, Kewaunee, Marinette and Shawano.
