Wilson Asked to Include County in Farm Emergency

Citing $12 million in damage to locally grown crops from the Christmas freeze, the Board of Supervisors has asked Gov. Pete Wilson to extend to Los Angeles County a state of emergency--the first step toward providing farmers with low-interest loans.

Wilson last week forwarded a request for disaster assistance from 17 California counties to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Clayton Yeutter, whose approval is needed before low-interest loans can be provided.

Bill Edwards, the county’s deputy agricultural commissioner, said his office requested the board action after a Malibu avocado grower complained about suffering huge losses because of the cold snap. Strawberry growers who plant their crops under utility lines throughout the county also lost their first crop, Edwards said.