Late spring freeze causes massive crop losses for New Jersey farmers
Late spring freeze devastated farms in the Northeast
A rare freeze devastated farms in New Jersey and the Northeast, destroying apple and peach crops and causing an estimated $300 million in losses. Farmers say the damage is catastrophic as they seek federal aid and urge communities to support local agriculture.
Farmers in the northeast face huge losses rare late April freeze It destroyed hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of crops, wiping out entire apple and peach harvests in some areas.
Tannwen Mount, an orchard owner at Terhune Orchards in Princeton, New Jersey, says the damage is unlike anything her family has ever experienced before.
“This was a truly catastrophic loss, not just for Terhune Orchards, but for our entire region,” Mount said.
Often in the orchard, spring is marked by the budding of apple trees and the beginning of a busy growing season. But this year, many trees show few signs of life after temperatures dropped at a critical stage of crop development.
PREVIOUS CROP LOSSES TO FARMERS IN THE NORTHEAST
Empty peach tree at Turhune Orchards in Princeton, NJ after a freeze (Pete Cuddihy)
Agriculture officials say the freeze came at almost the worst possible moment.
“We call this a generational freeze,” said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Ed Wengryn. “It’s almost like a hundred-year storm; it’s almost a perfect event.”
According to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, farmers in the state lost nearly $300 million worth of fruit crops due to frost. Apples and peaches were among the hardest hit.
New Jersey agriculture officials estimate farmers lost nearly $300 million in crops after the state’s apple and peach orchards were devastated by a rare late spring freeze. (Fox News)
Mount says the widespread nature of the damage has made this season particularly difficult.
“We never lost more than one crop at once throughout the season,” he said.
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The freeze also affected neighboring Pennsylvania, one of the nation’s top peach-producing states, raising concerns about dwindling supplies of the fruit in the Northeast and beyond.
Pennsylvania and New Jersey are among the nation’s leading producers of peaches, raising concerns about regional fruit shortages after historic late spring freezes damaged orchards in the Northeast. (Fox News)
“There will be no peaches coming from this area,” Wengryn warned.
In response to the losses, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill requested federal disaster aid to help struggling farmers stay afloat.
State officials say low-interest federal loans could provide critical support as growers try to recover from a season with little or no fruit to sell.
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“It’s a cheap source of money to help pay your bills and get you through this growing season,” Wengryn explained. “Because you won’t have a product to sell to get you through the next year.”
Despite the damage, some farmers are finding ways to adapt.
At Terhune Orchards, surviving crops such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and vegetables may help offset some of the losses, Mount says.
Terhune Gardens says they rely on fruits that survive freezing. (Pete Cuddihy)
“We’re in the middle of our strawberry season. Blueberries and blackberries look great and this is the year to pick your own vegetables,” Mount said. “So we do things a little differently.”
It also encourages consumers to support local agriculture during a difficult year for farmers in the region.
“This is the year to really support your local farmers,” Mount said. “Go out and buy local.”
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced relief assistance to Pennsylvania farmers affected by frost. USDA officials say New Jersey’s request is still under review.
