By CINDY LADAGE
Illinois Correspondent

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Peaches, apples and other fruits and vegetables have been damaged in many Illinois counties because of the April 3-11 frost. In response to the devastating freeze, Gov.
Rod R. Blagojevich last week announced federal disaster assistance is available for 55 Illinois counties and 26 contiguous ones.

Illinois had an unusually warm March which accelerated crop development especially in southern areas of the state. Many fruit trees budded early and were unprotected from the prolonged freeze. According to the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA), this March “was 6.5 degrees above normal, making the month the sixth-warmest March on record since 1895.”

Due to the damage inflicted by the unusual weather pattern, Blagojevich asked for funds from the USDA after declaring them disaster areas.

“Losses of this magnitude certainly could cause financial hardship, especially for small operations,” Blagojevich said. “The loans that this declaration triggers can help them recover. They can be used not only to pay production costs, but also to refinance existing debt and cover essential family living expenses.”

The frost hit Illinois peach growers the hardest. Crop specialists say the peach harvest may be a total loss. The peach crop draws in $13 million in revenue for Illinois each year. Winter wheat prices have been higher than average and may soar because of the significant damage. IDOA estimates that the damage to winter wheat could cost farmers more than $30 million.

IDOA reported, “According to the latest USDA crop statistics, 160,000 planted acres of Illinois wheat were not harvested, or 17 percent of the entire crop. Most was destroyed because of freeze damage and re-planted with corn or soybeans.”

For those that could qualify for disaster assistance IDOA instructs growers to contact their county FSA office.

The 55 counties declared as disaster areas include: Adams, Fayette, Johnson, Monroe, Schuyler, Alexander, Franklin, Kankakee, Montgomery, Scott, Bond, Fulton, Knox, Morgan, Shelby, Calhoun, Gallatin, Lawrence, Perry, St. Clair, Champaign, Greene, Macon, Pike, Union, Christian, Hamilton, Macoupin, Pope, Vermilion, Clay, Hancock, Madison, Pulaski, Wabash, Clinton, Hardin, Marion, Randolph, Washington, Crawford, Jackson, Massac, Richland, Wayne, Cumberland, Jefferson, McDon-ough, Saline, White, Edwards, Jersey, Menard, Sangamon and Williamson.

This farm news was published in the June 13, 2007 issue of Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.