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HomeMy WebLinkAbout060-10Z RESOLUTION REQUESTING FREDERICK COUNTY BE DECLARED AS DISASTER COUNTY WHEREAS, due to the 2009 -2010 winter snowstorms, Frederick County farmers suffered significant damage; and WHEREAS, heavy snowfall required Cow -Calf Farmers to feed an additional 33% more feed and expend significant resources to move snow in order to feed livestock; and WHEREAS, total cost due to additional feed and snow removal is 48% more than prior years; and WHEREAS, Stocker and finishing cattle likely quit gaining weight during these storms and as a result, fewer pounds of beef will be available for sale, an estimated 40 pounds lighter per head; and WHEREAS, due to the 2009 -2010 winter storms, there has been significant increase in livestock mortality; and WHEREAS, deer migrated to the orchards for food and removal of the apple buds from trees will result in fewer apples for the 2010 fall harvest, an estimated reduced yield of 12% countywide; and WHEREAS, due to snow removal from roads, an estimated 500 small sections of fencing were damaged and several structures were damaged due to the weight and drifting snow; and WHEREAS, the total cost of these snowstorms to Frederick County farmers exceeds four million dollars; and WHEREAS, Frederick County farmers need federal assistance in responding to their losses as the result of extreme weather conditions. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Frederick County Board of Supervisors that the County Administrator is hereby directed to submit to Governor McDonnell a request for assistance in obtaining federal disaster designation for Frederick County, which will make available federal assistance to Frederick County farmers who have experienced additional costs, damage and losses due to the excessive snowfall. ADOPTED this 10th day of March, 2010. Resolution — Declaration as Disaster Cauniy Board of Supervisors Meeting —March 10, 2010 Page 2 Richard C. Shickle Aye Bill M. Ewing Aye Gary W. Dove Aye Gary A. Lofton Aye Resolution No.: 060 -10 Gene E. Fisher Absent Christopher E. Collins Aye Charles S. DeHaven, Jr. Aye A COPY TESTE: F �f �� Jo�>`in lRile`� Jr. G� ,Board of Supervisors County of Frederick, Virginia C: \TJP\ resolutions \Disaste rDeclaration(Ag ricultu re)(0310106dMtg). docx COUNTY of FREDERICK .� ©ham IZ. I�iBey, 3r: County Administrator ' March 11, 2010 540/665 -5666 Fax 540/667 -0370 E -mail: jriley @co.frederick.va.us The Honorable Robert F. McDonnell Governor Commonwealth of Virginia Patrick Henry Building, Third Floor 1111 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 Dear Governor McDonnell: The Frederick County Board of Supervisors, meeting in regular session on March 10, 2010, approved the enclosed resolution requesting that Frederick County, Virginia be declared a disaster county due to the agricultural loss as a result of the recent 2009 -2010 winter storms. Your assistance in helping to designate same is respectfully requested. Should you need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me With kindest regards, I am ' cerely, .._—� John R. Riley, Jr. County Administrator JRR/tjp Enclosure cc: Karen A. Ridings, M.S.,R.D., Extension Agent Todd P. Haymore, Commissioner, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Jacquelin P. Easter, Executive Director, Virginia Farm Service Agency C:\TJP\extensionl Letters\ GovMcDonnellDisasterDesignationRequest (031010BdMtg). docx 107 North Kent Street •Winchester, Virginia 22601 �� COUNTY of FREDERICK John R. Riley, Jr. County Administrator 540/665 -5666 MEMORANDUM Fax 540/667 -0370 E -mail: jriley @co.frederick.va.us TO: Board of Supervisors FROM: John R. Riley, Jr., County Administrator��� ( --� DATE: March 4, 2010 RE: Request Declaring Disaster Status The farming community has requested assistance in declaring disaster status for Frederick County as a result of the 2009 -2010 winter storms and their affect on the agriculture. A resolution requesting same is attached for your consideration at the March 10, 2010 Board meeting. JRR /tjp Attachment C: \TJP\ extension \MemoslBdOfS upDecla reDisasterStatus(Ag ricu Iture)(031010Bd Mtg }. docx 107 North Kent Street •Winchester, Virginia 22601 Frederick County Virginia Agriculture Damage Assessment Snowstorms during the Winter 2009 and 2010 March 1, 2010 The 2009/10 winter weather endured by Frederick County farmers has been extreme. The following is a summary of damage that has occurred to agriculture. - The heavy snowfall has required Frederick County Cow -Calf Farmers to feed an additional 33 percent more feed compared to normal winters. In addition farmers expended significant resources moving snow so that they could feed their livestock. Total feed cost due to both snow removal and additional feed cost cow /calf farmers 48 percent more this year than in prior years. - The heavy snowfall has caused a significant increase in livestock mortality. The most vulnerable livestock are small calves and sick/older livestock. An estimated 800 additional head of livestock were killed by the two major snowstorms. - Stocker and finishing cattle likely quit gaining weight during these snowstorms. As a result farmers will have incurred significant feed costs with fewer pounds of beef available for sale. We estimate that these two snowstorms will cause the average stocker or finishing animal to be 40 pounds lighter per head. - During the process of removing snow from roads many fences were damaged. We estimate that there are 500 small sections of fence damaged in the county. - Due to the heavy snowstorms, deer often migrated to the orchards in search of food. The deer browsed on the buds of apple trees. The removal of these buds from trees will mean fewer apples for the fall 2010 harvest. We estimate that these browsing deer will have reduced yield by 12 percent countywide. - There were a several structures damaged in Frederick due to the weight of the snow and /or due to snow drifting. The worst damage appeared to be west of Middletown and Stephens City. The total cost of these snowstorms to Frederick County Farmers slightly exceeds four million dollars.