After nearly a $100 million loss last summer, Washington's sweet cherry growers are now eligible for federal disaster relief loans to minimize their losses, congressional officials announced Tuesday.

Farmers can apply for loans of up to $500,000 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's natural disaster division, Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray and Rep. Kim Schrier said in a joint news release.

These members of Congress were among the chorus of people lobbying the federal government for the disaster declaration, which unlocked emergency loans for growers.

"Last year, Washington's cherry growers lost around half their crop to extreme weather. Now, as they prepare to kick off their new season, this disaster designation from the secretary of Agriculture will help growers access federal assistance to keep this $1 billion industry going — and ensure Washington's famously delicious sweet cherries make it into shopping carts," Cantwell said in a release.

The problem in a nutshell was too much heat, all at once, Jon DeVaney, president of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association, said recently. What began as a winter with nearly average snowpack and cool, damp weather warmed up quickly in mid May.

"We had all the trees blooming all at once," DeVaney said. "These cherries are highly perishable and growers have a short window to harvest and get to market."

In a typical year, Washington growers look to extend their harvest from late May into the end of August, DeVaney said. This stretches the season and avoids too much overlap with the competing cherry season in California.

But last year's situation flooded the market and prices sank, DeVaney said.

"The fruit looked great and would have been delicious, but there was no market for it," he said. "I can't eat three months of cherries in two weeks."

These types of spring heat waves are expected to become more common and intense as climate change worsens.

The end result, DeVaney said, was something like a $98 million loss across Washington's nearly 1,500 cherry farms.

DeVaney gave thanks for the disaster declaration after hearing the news this week. The money will particularly help growers who otherwise might have struggled to continue operating through the coming season.

Growers have until November to apply for emergency loans, which can be used on equipment, livestock, reorganizing the farming operation or to refinance debts. Eligible areas are Adams, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Grant, King, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pierce, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman and Yakima counties.

In Oregon, growers in Gilliam, Hood River, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla and Wasco counties are also eligible for the loans.

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