Audio from Senator Dan Lauwers

Lansing: State Sen. Lauwers, shares his thoughts after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered her second State of the State address as Michigan's governor.

"I look forward to continued conversations with agricultural stakeholders and experts on how to address these challenges." A bill signed into law in June appropriated $15 million into the Agricultural Disaster Loan Origination Program, which will help ensure Michigan farmers will have the opportunity to apply for loans to cover their expenses. The program is a partnership between farmers and processors, private lenders, and the state that provides a 1% interest rate on loans to help support the agriculture industry through loss of crops due to weather-related disasters. Lauwers said Michigan's farmers are coping with a difficult growing season with record rainfall hindering planting; only 68% of the corn crop and 70% of the soybean crop planned was planted. In addition, the industry has faced global economic pressures and financial stress, the lawmaker said.