Farmers and farm workers were forced to leave farmland for weeks after hurricanes flooded crops.

SALINAS, Calif. (KMUV-TV) — The January rains hit Monterey County farmers hard.

This causes millions of farmers to lose their fields, but it also leaves many families without income.

Dozens of farming families on the Central Coast are trying to recover from the damage caused by January rains and floods.

This is the case of Humberto Vargas. He was one of the farmers in the Salinas region, who was unable to plow the land or harvest crops for almost three weeks due to the erosion of the rivers and the seepage of water into the furrows.

“As human beings, we all feel sadness, this is a monetary effort, an investment, you cannot control nature, but your hopes are dashed, although we understand that we need water,” Umberto said.

Monterey County submitted its report to the Governor’s Office of Emergency Management stating that damage to infrastructure and farmland totaled $30 million.

“There is $15,000 to $20,000 invested per acre, if three acres are invested to prepare it, then we have to invest that money to prepare it again. We have tested programs that will help the farmer and are looking forward to it.”

Humberto Vargas

Federal agencies, in conjunction with the Monterey County Agriculture Commissioner’s office, conduct damage assessments for those who request them.

Javier Zamora, owner of a strawberry and blackberry farm in Aromas, watched heavy rains flood his land for three weeks, damaging a total of 22 acres. This resulted in him losing a 10-acre strawberry crop.

“It will probably take us about two weeks to put the plastic back and clean up the debris that the river has brought to us, and we can harvest strawberries to start harvesting in April,” Zamora said.

Only two weeks later, several farmers in the city of Aromas met to submit their applications to the USDA. Of the farmers present, very few were Hispanic.

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According to the latest Monterey County Agricultural Census report, 87% of farmland is owned by independent farmers, of whom less than 20% are Hispanic.

Monterey County has acknowledged that some farm fields are unsuitable for cultivation.

“We know that after these hurricanes there was a huge need, thousands of workers were left without work because thousands of acres were flooded, which affected agriculture here in Monterey County,” said Monterey County Inspector Luis Alejo. “When work begins in March and April, we will know that we are behind these crops.”

Alejo suggests that the other wardens distribute funds to families affected by this situation, as he notes that some families have no alternative for receiving insurance benefits due to their legal status in the United States.

Farmers noted that under FDA food and safety laws, they will be prohibited from returning to work on their land for the next 30 to 60 days, leaving many farmers, workers and Hispanic families without a source of income. income.

The USDA is inviting farmers to submit their grievances and needs as it has extended the deadline for requesting their aid packages until June through the Emergency Disaster Assistance Program (ECP).