SKOWHEGAN – A package of federal disaster programs to be released in December and January are aimed at alleviating crop losses to Maine’s apple producers.

But local growers said Friday that although federal assistance is a step in the right direction, the key to helping Maine’s producers is for consumers to buy Maine apples.

The Special Apple Loan Program is the first in a series of three relief programs aimed at helping apple growers and other farmers who sustained severe economic loses this year due to low prices.

Although farm disaster relief programs are common in many areas of agriculture, they are not common in the apple industry.

“This assistance is greatly needed for apple producers who have seen prices for their apples fall to their lowest levels in 10 years,” Farm Service Agency Director G. Arnold Roach said Friday.

The SALP will provide $99.8 million nationally in the form of three-year loans, based on the 1998 and 1999 markets. Loans can be used to pay annual operating expenses, purchase equipment or additional property, make capital improvements, obtain cooperative stock and refinance farm debt.

Apple producer Judy Dimmock of Madison, secretary of the Maine Pomological Society and co-chairman of the Maine Department of Agriculture Marketing Advisory Council, said Friday that the real answer to economic stability for Maine’s orchards lies with Maine consumers.

“These relief programs are a step in the right direction,” said Dimmock, “but it is important to understand that none of this will solve the problem.

“The bottom line is that if you want to preserve agriculture, you need to support local agriculture,” she said. “In other words, Mainers need to buy Maine apples for the growers to thrive.”

Brent Mullis of FSA is in charge of programming, and said the SALP program may not be advantageous for Maine growers because of it is a loan, but two programs that will begin in January “will be a great help.”

Mullis said the Apple Market Loss Program is funded at $100 million and will be a cash payment, not a loan program. The federal Quality Loss Program will provide another $38 million that will be shared by apple and potato producers.

Dairy, cranberry and other crop disaster funds also will be available in January through the FSA.

“The wide range of programs offered demonstrate the diverse agriculture in the region and multiple years of unfavorable weather and market conditions affecting Maine farmers,” Roach said.

Growers should contact their local FSA office for more information about any of the relief programs.