U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Production and Conservation Undersecretary Richard Fordyce and Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson announced new measures to streamline and add flexibility for Pennsylvania apple growers who suffered catastrophic losses from a late-April 2026 freeze. The announcement came after Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Governor Josh Shapiro urged the federal government to expedite disaster assistance for Pennsylvania farmers affected by the April freeze, including faster damage assessments and crop insurance payments.
“Today’s announcement is another step in the right direction. Combined with recent disaster declarations making growers in many Pennsylvania counties eligible for low-interest loans, this step will lessen the blow at a time when farmers are being hit hard by nature, compounded by rising costs and erratic markets,” Sec. Redding said. “Apple growers were not alone in losing crops. We hope flexibility will be extended to other growers, and Congress and the USDA will authorize other assistance to support our growers.”
Today’s USDA announcement will provide flexibility in the crop insurance process, but only for apple-growers who have federal crop insurance through the USDA’s Farm Service Agency. USDA disaster declarations to date make growers in 24 counties eligible for low-interest federal loans.
Pennsylvania is one of the nation’s leading producers of apples, peaches, grapes, cherries, and strawberries, all affected by the late-season freeze. Damage estimates being gathered by the USDA’s Farm Service Agency in conjunction with Pennsylvania counties are not yet finalized, but early estimates indicated growers could lose as much as $150 million to $200 million from the freeze, with some crops being total losses.
