More than 1,000 acres of crops destroyed in Massachusetts by storms, floods

Torrential downpours blanketed much of New England, leading to dangerous flooding in Vermont and Western Massachusetts, where farmers reported widespread damage. Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner Ahsley Randle said it is “absolutely heartbreaking” to see the devastation in Massachusetts.

“We have boots on the ground to get an accurate scope of the damage so we can continue working with our local, state, and federal partners in assisting our farmers who continue to face these challenges,” Randle said in a statement. “Despite these recent tragedies, we know our farmers are resilient, and we encourage consumers to continue supporting their local farms that support the communities they serve in so many ways.”

State officials were scheduled to visit farms in Deerfield, Florence, Hadley, Sunderland, and Whately “to complete assessments of impacted farms.”

Randle met with 30 farmers in Deerfield, Hadley, Hatfield, and Northampton on Wednesday. Randle asked farmers to share damage reports with her agency to evaluate the extent of the damage.