State Agricultural Resources Commissioner Randle Tours Storm-Damaged Farms in Western Massachusetts
Following devastating storms that washed out roads and flooded fields and farms, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Commissioner Ashley Randle visited Western Massachusetts two days this week to meet with farmers impacted by the storm. Commissioner Randle joined state and local officials to survey the damage and discuss how the state could help communities in recovery and mitigation efforts.
In an effort to assess the scale of the impact, MDAR asks stakeholders to share damage reports from impacted farms to help the agency evaluate the extent of the situation. Farmers are encouraged to contact MDAR Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff Alisha Bouchard at alisha.bouchard@mass.gov and Director of Produce Safety Michael Botelho at michael.botelho@mass.gov with a report. Farmers should also reach out to Sue Scheufele, Production Agriculture Leader, at UMass Extension Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment. She can be reached at sscheufele@umass.edu or by calling (508) 397 3361.
