GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Farmers are desperate to find help during what's proving to be a difficult growing season.
Michigan State University's Extension program and Farm Bureau Insurance held a meeting to detail the additional resources available to farmers, given this year's significant rainfall.
About 40 farmers came to the meeting held on Thursday night. Topics included crop insurance coverage, prevent plant coverage and options for planting in the future.
Many farmers have managed to get into their fields between the wet weather, but their yields are expected to be much lower than other years.
"I have never seen this in my lifetime," said Jim May, a farmer in Kent County. "I have talked with other farmers that are a lot older than me. This is something that has never ever happened."
The topic most discussed at the meeting was crop insurance. For those who have it, they can get what's called prevent plant coverage, if eligible. This means farmers can plant cover crops where they can no longer get cash crops into the ground. Planting cover crops will, in turn, provide some sort of return by using it as hay or feed for animals.
