Global warming

HERE AT HOME… WE’VE SEEN THE EFFECTS OF CHANGING WEATHER PATTERNS FIRST- HAND. HISTORIC FLOOD DAMAGE LAST JULY… LEFT INDIVIDUAL FARMERS WITH AN ESTIMATED 61 THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DAMAGE AND CROP LOSSES. AND NEIGHBORS QUICKLY ROLLED UP THEIR SLEEVES TO HELP. MULTIPLE AGENCIES PARTNERED TO LAUNCH “DIG DEEP VERMONT”. A CAMPAIGN TO PROVIDE MICRO- GRANTS AND INTEREST-FREE LOANS…TO FAMILY-OWNED FARMS… RECOVERING FROM THE DAMAGE. THE AGENCY OF AGRICULTURE JUST ANNOUNCED THE FIRST RECIPIENTS LAST WEEK. NOW… WE’RE CHECKING IN WITH LOCAL GROWERS ON EARTH DAY. AND JUST ABOUT THREE MONTHS SHY… OF THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE FLOOD. NBC5’S ANNA GUBER JOINS US LIVE FROM COLCHESTER… WITH MORE ON WHAT THEY SAY… THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE. LAUREN, WE’RE HERE AT SAM MAZZAS FARM IN COLCHESTER. THE OWNER TELLS ME THEY FAIRED BETTER THAN OTHERS AFTER JULY’S HISTORIC FLOODING. BUT AFTER DECADES IN THIS BUSINESS…SHE’S WATCHING THESE MAJOR WEATHER EVENTS HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY. AND MAKING UNCERTAINTY JUST ONE OF MANY CHALLENGES VERMONT FARMERS ARE LEFT FACING. 7;35;08;04 CONDITIONS. ASK LAURIE BOMBARD… AT MAZZA’S FARM IN COLCHESTER. 17;36;13;06 SEEM TO GET A LOT MORE RAIN AND EVEN IN THE WINTERTIME, I REMEMBER THERE WERE TWO OR THREE FEET OF SNOW MOST OF THE WINTER.”> NEARLY 50 YEARS AGO. NOW… THE OWNER AND MANAGER OF THE BUSINESS SAYS SHE’S EXPERIENCING A VERY DIFFERENT REALITY. 17;36;22;16 AND HER CROPS ARE PAYING THE PRICE. ESPECIALLY LAST SUMMER. AFTER A LATE FROST… FOLLOWED BY HISTORIC FLOODING. 17;32;21;02 BUT SHE’S GRATEFUL THE DAMAGE WASN’T WORSE. OTHER FARMERS WEREN’T SO LUCKY. SOME…LOSING ENTIRE FIELDS AFTER YOU PUT ALL YOUR EXPENSE OF THE SEED AND THE LABOR AND YOUR CROP IS RUINED.”> THAT’S WHY SHE SAYS VERMONT FARMERS NEED LOCAL SUPPORT MORE THAN EVER. AS STRONGER, MORE FREQUENT STORMS… CONTINUE TO CREATE CHALLENGES… IN THIS CRITICAL ECONOMIC SECTOR. 17;34;23;14 AND IF YOUR LOOKING FOR A WAY TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL FARMERS… DIG DEEP VERMONT HAS ORGANIZED A FUND TO SUPPORT FARMERS IMPACTED BY EXTREME WEATHER LIKE THE JULY FLOODS. AND IF INTERESTE