With Oregonians still recovering from the weekend’s winter storm that rolled in with high winds and covered the area in a blanket of snow, ice and freezing precipitation, cut power to thousands, and downed trees in neighborhoods, reports are starting to come in to the Oregon Association of Nurseries that some members have received damage to their businesses. OAN Executive Director Jeff Stone has received numerous reports of damage from affected nurseries:
We’re starting to get reports from a few nurseries and the damage is already adding up to about $500,000. I have already been in touch with Gov. Tina Kotek, Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Lisa Charpilloz-Hanson and the USDA Farm Service Agency. When aid becomes available, we will let you know of all opportunities to apply. To assist with a comprehensive assessment, we suggest you begin taking pictures of the damage as early in the process as possible. In times like this, the purpose of the association is clear. I will do everything in my power to help our members. We hope you made it through OK, but if you suffered any sort of storm damage, we would like to know. Please help us identify and assess problems resulting from the recent storms. Please contact me via email at StormDamage@OAN.org or text at 971-235-3868 and let me know a rough estimate of the property or green goods damage you sustained. We will be compiling this information and reaching out to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency, as well as the ODA, to seek assistance for the industry, as appropriate. We won’t share identifiable information with these agencies. Only I will see the information that you send me.”
On Thursday night, the governor announced a statewide state of emergency as a result of the storms.
“Heeding the call from several counties, I am issuing a statewide state of emergency due to the ongoing severe ice storm,” Kotek said Thursday night in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Thousands of people across the state have been impacted by the storm, including power outages, lack of transportation, and an array of safety concerns that come with severe weather. The state has been working with counties as they asses needs, including critical federal resources that can be unlocked by declaring a statewide emergency.”
“I declared a state of emergency in Lane County on Tuesday, and now we are heeding the call from additional counties to escalate,” Kotek said.
As of Thursday, Multnomah County, Lincoln County, Washington County, Hood River County, and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians have declared a local state of emergency and have been receiving support from the state, including from OEM, the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), according to a press release from the State of Oregon.
The OAN has created a web page that collects resources on storm damage. Click here to be directed to the page.
- Farmers.gov Winter Storm page – Find information and resources to help you prepare for and recover from winter storms.
- Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool – Learn about USDA disaster assistance programs that might be right for you by completing five simple steps.
- Disaster Assistance Programs Brochure – A snapshot of all available FSA, NRCS and RMA disaster services and products
- Farm Loan Assistance Tool – Answer a few short questions to learn about USDA farm loans that might be right for you.
It is critical to keep accurate records to document losses following a devastating cold weather event. To assist with a comprehensive assessment, we suggest you begin taking pictures of the damage as early in the process as possible.
Common documentation include:
- Purchase records
- Production records
- Vaccination records
- Bank or other loan documents
- Third-party certification