Hot temps hurting crops
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YAKIMA, Wash. -- KIMA is keeping tabs on the effects of this intense heat. We learned it's forcing farms to shut down early and risk losing production.
The hot sun has been heating up the Yakima Valley to almost unbearable temperatures.
"It feels humid and sweaty and kind of hot I just want to go home and shower," said cherry picker Agustin Albarez.
Albarez had been working in a cherry orchard since about 8 a.m. When we talked, temperatures had risen above 90 degrees.
"Right now we would have boxes lined up and lots of people and ladders out here working, but right now most of the people are going home," said cherry farmer John Verbrugge.
They are going home because it's just too hot to allow them to work. Normally workers pick from about 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. but for the past four days, they've been forced to quit before noon. State law makes it hard for workers to stay on the clock once temperatures reach above 89 degrees. This means workers miss out on about three hours of work. On these hot days farmers are losing about 25% of their production.
"We've got to stop because people get just flat out tired and it makes it harder for them the next day," said Verbrugge.
It's not just the workers affected. The heat hurts the fruit as well.
"In the heat, cherries are ripening really fast and going to a shrivel point," said Verbrugge.
If workers don't pick them in time they'll rot and when their time is limited it's a challenge. Farmers are trying to keep the picked fruit cool under water. Apples, corn and hops don't like the extreme heat, either. It can slow growth and affect fertilization. So far those crops have had little damage, but that could change if the high temperatures don't.
Grape growers said they actually like the heat. The hot weather keeps away mildew and helps the grapes grow. Problems start once it gets above 110 degrees.
The hot sun has been heating up the Yakima Valley to almost unbearable temperatures.
"It feels humid and sweaty and kind of hot I just want to go home and shower," said cherry picker Agustin Albarez.
Albarez had been working in a cherry orchard since about 8 a.m. When we talked, temperatures had risen above 90 degrees.
"Right now we would have boxes lined up and lots of people and ladders out here working, but right now most of the people are going home," said cherry farmer John Verbrugge.
They are going home because it's just too hot to allow them to work. Normally workers pick from about 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. but for the past four days, they've been forced to quit before noon. State law makes it hard for workers to stay on the clock once temperatures reach above 89 degrees. This means workers miss out on about three hours of work. On these hot days farmers are losing about 25% of their production.
"We've got to stop because people get just flat out tired and it makes it harder for them the next day," said Verbrugge.
It's not just the workers affected. The heat hurts the fruit as well.
"In the heat, cherries are ripening really fast and going to a shrivel point," said Verbrugge.
If workers don't pick them in time they'll rot and when their time is limited it's a challenge. Farmers are trying to keep the picked fruit cool under water. Apples, corn and hops don't like the extreme heat, either. It can slow growth and affect fertilization. So far those crops have had little damage, but that could change if the high temperatures don't.
Grape growers said they actually like the heat. The hot weather keeps away mildew and helps the grapes grow. Problems start once it gets above 110 degrees.
