(TRENTON) – State and federal agriculture
officials will hold an informational meeting on Wednesday,
September 29, for farmers affected by the floods that
hit four northwestern New Jersey counties earlier this
month.
Both short-term and long-term relief strategies will be discussed at
the meeting, scheduled for 5 p.m. at the farm of Dennis Pryslak, 30 Shades
of Death Road in the Great Meadows area of Liberty Township, Warren County.
Any farmer hit by the remnants of Hurricane Ivan in Warren, Hunterdon,
Sussex or Mercer counties on the weekend of September 18-19 may attend
the meeting.
“I can’t imagine any greater frustration for a farmer than to tend
and nurture crops for an entire season only to have them wiped out just before
harvest,” said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Charles M. Kuperus,
who will attend the meeting. “We must commit ourselves to doing everything
we can to help the farmers who were hit by this storm.”
The storm dumped up to 8 inches of rain on parts of northwestern New
Jersey, sending the Delaware River 3½ feet above flood stage and
causing additional flooding in rivers like the Pequest that flow into
the Delaware. Heavy rain and wind also damaged crops in some areas where
stream flooding was not a factor.
Representatives from several Divisions of the New Jersey Department of
Agriculture will address topics such as agricultural and natural resources,
risk management and new market development. In addition, representatives
from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency will discuss short-term aid
prospects.
Anyone seeking more information about the meeting may call the NJDA’s
Public Information Office at (609) 292-5531.
Directions to Pryslak Farm:
From The South: Take NJ-31 North and turn right onto US-46. Follow
US-46 and turn left onto Route 611/Hope Road. After 1½ miles on
Route 611/Hope Road, turn right onto Shades of Death Road. Follow for ½ mile.
From the North: Take Route 519 South to Route 611 and turn left onto
Route 611. Follow Route 611 to Shades of Death Road and turn left. Follow
for ½ mile. |
