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PACAST VIA PENN CAPITAL STAR
\nLancaster County\u2019s Cherry Hill Orchards\u2019 owner Corey McCleaf, left, shows Gov. Josh Shapiro tree damage on May 8, 2026 as state Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding looks on.<\/p>\n
State officials, speaking from an orchard in Lancaster County on Friday, called for the federal government to provide disaster assistance to farmers whose crops were damaged by an April freeze. Early estimates put economic losses for the commonwealth\u2019s special crop industry between $150 million and $200 million.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy Administration has prioritized Pennsylvania agriculture from day one because we know farming powers our economy, feeds our communities and sustains our rural communities. Right now, Pennsylvania farmers are facing catastrophic losses through no fault of their own, and they deserve a federal government that moves with urgency,\u201d said Gov. Josh Shapiro in a release.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will continue to have the backs of our farmers and make sure we explore every option at our disposal to help them through this crisis,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
Shapiro and others highlighted Cherry Hill Orchards, the hosting Lancaster County farm, which doesn\u2019t expect any revenue until the Fall of 2027 after near-total losses this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cFruit farming is a year-round investment of time, labor and faith in the season ahead, and after a freeze like this, you can see months of work and planning impacted in just a few hours,\u201d said Corey McCleaf, owner of the orchard and a fifth-generation grower. \u201cFor operations like ours, these losses affect not just this year\u2019s crop, but the employees, families and local communities that depend on Pennsylvania agriculture.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Shapiro requested a federal disaster designation following an April 21 freeze that followed \u201cseveral weeks of warm weather \u2026 that pushed blossoms on fruits and ornamental trees.\u201d<\/p>\n
Temperatures in the low 20s harmed fruit operations \u2014 including peaches, cherries, apricots, pears, strawberries, grapes and apples \u2014 \u201cthat were well into blossom and in the early stages of producing fruit.\u201d Other crops, including Christmas trees, were similarly damaged. For some farmers, including those who have closed their doors for the season, losses could be as high as 100%.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis freeze didn\u2019t just damage crops \u2014 it jeopardized years of hard work and the future stability of family farms across Pennsylvania,\u201d said state Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. \u201cCherry Hill Orchards\u2019 story is one we are hearing in every corner of the Commonwealth. Growers are facing heartbreaking losses that will ripple far beyond the orchard or field, impacting local economies, farm markets, processors and packagers, and the families who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shapiro\u2019s letter includes missives from several companies and industry associations, detailing the scale of the \u201cdevastating\u201d freeze in Pennsylvania. In addition to the disaster designation, which would open up opportunities for assistance, Shapiro also asks for faster damage assessments to help growers file crop insurance claims.<\/p>\n
The state is also working with Penn State Extension to collect early industry assessments. Lawmakers vowed to work on legislation to support farmers and asked Pennsylvanians to support local farmers with their produce purchases.<\/p>\n
The state\u2019s release pointed to long-term solutions funded under the Agricultural Innovation Grant Program, which can help farmers prepare for severe weather. Ridgetop Orchards in Bedford County, for example, received $58,964 for wind machines that provide freeze protection.<\/p>\n
The freeze comes on top of a myriad of other challenges for farmers, including the rising cost of diesel fuel and fertilizer as the Iran War strangles critical imports.<\/p>\n
Growers and farmers seeking more information and resources related to the freeze, including reporting losses, business planning and risk management, can visit agriculture.pa.gov.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) \u2014 Iran has sent its response to the latest U.S. ceasefire proposal via Pakistani …<\/p>\n