Gov. Whitmer OKs $15M To Help Michigan Farmers Impacted By Heavy Rainfall

LANSING (CBS DETROIT/AP) — Heavy rainfall over the past few months has put Michigan farmers at a disadvantage when it comes to planting and yielding crops.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed legislation to allocate $15 million to a low-interest loan program to help farmers who face financial losses because wet weather is making it hard to plant crops.

Whitmer's office announced the signing Monday.

The spending covers upfront loan-processing fees and subsidize private lenders so they can provide 1% interest rates to farmers, processors and others in the agriculture industry.

Similar relief was enacted in 2012, when fruit growers and processors were hit especially hard by an early thaw and late freeze. Eligibility will be determined based on the percentage of loss to the producer or processor.

Michigan has been going through a wet period. Five Michigan counties just were declared federal disaster areasdue to agricultural losses.

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