MEDFORD, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Agriculture released its annual Grasshoppers and Mormon Cricket Survey Summary.
It shocked many farmers in the Klamath Basin.
The Klamath Water Users Association and farmers in that area, reported high numbers of grasshoppers for three straight summers now.
And they say it’s had devastating impacts on the economy.
But they say the ODA’s report did not accurately portray the damage done by grasshopper populations.
The report said that only around 12,000 economic acres were impacted, when local farmers and commissioners say it was much more than that and cost millions.
Klamath Basin farmer, Mark Ellsworth said,
“I thought I was looking at another state’s report or something, but when it showed Klamath County with no economic impact from the grasshoppers, that hit everybody right square in the face. It was just like a plague where you couldn’t hardly see where you were driving.”
Klamath County Commissioners held a meeting about the alleged inaccuracies.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture did own up to these mistakes and said that it was done without proper context and without the consideration of private lands.
Now farmers are hoping for the report to be corrected, so that they can receive state and federal aid.
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