From the Associated Press — Michigan’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is making data on programs related to weather conditions available to farmers. The Geographic Information System viewer allows the agency to take different types of data sets and turn them into easy-to-understand visuals like maps. The data is from resources like the Michigan State University Extension
and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The viewer will be updated as new information is identified. Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Gary McDowell said financial assistance programs can be critical for farmers as extreme weather conditions such as drought, deep freezes or flooding impacts their ability to plant, harvest or tend to their crops.
