Governor Josh Shapiro is calling on the federal government to provide expedited disaster assistance for Pennsylvania farmers following the devastating freeze that struck the Commonwealth in April, causing widespread damage to fruit crops and other specialty agriculture.
During a visit to Cherry Hill Orchards in Lancaster County, Governor Shapiro and Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding met with growers impacted by the freeze and urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to move quickly on disaster support. Earlier in the day, Shapiro sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins requesting a Secretarial Disaster Designation and faster processing of crop insurance claims and damage assessments.
Pennsylvania’s specialty crop industry is expected to suffer between $150 million and $200 million in losses, according to early estimates from the state Department of Agriculture. Officials said the freeze could have a major impact on the Commonwealth’s agricultural economy, particularly because Pennsylvania is one of the nation’s leading producers of apples, peaches, grapes, cherries, and strawberries.
Since the freeze, the Shapiro Administration has worked directly with more than 200 growers and agricultural stakeholders to assess damage and determine the industry’s most immediate needs. State officials are also exploring flexibility with existing state agricultural funding and working with Penn State Extension to continue evaluating crop losses.
Secretary Redding said the freeze threatens not only crops, but also the future stability of family farms and the local economies that depend on them. He noted that the damage extends beyond orchards and fields to farm markets, processors, packagers, and workers throughout rural communities.
At Cherry Hill Orchards, Governor Shapiro and Secretary Redding toured the farm with owner Corey McCleaf, a fifth-generation grower whose apple and peach crops suffered near-total losses after temperatures dropped as low as 19 degrees in some parts of the state. The freeze followed an extended period of warm weather that caused crops to begin blossoming before the sudden cold damaged the blooms.
Lawmakers joining the visit also voiced support for federal and state assistance. Senator James Malone called for a swift USDA disaster designation, while House Democratic Agriculture Chairman Eddie Pashinski said the state legislature would work to make funding available and encouraged residents to support local orchards and fruit growers. Representative Steven Mentzer described the situation as devastating for fruit farmers.
The Shapiro Administration also highlighted longer-term agricultural investments, including Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Innovation Grant Program, which supports farms adopting new technology to combat severe weather. The first round of grants funded projects on 186 farms statewide, including freeze-protection wind machines at Ridgetop Orchards in Bedford County.
Agriculture remains one of Pennsylvania’s largest industries, supporting more than 600,000 jobs and contributing $132.5 billion annually to the state economy.
Source: pa.gov