USDA’s RMA acknowledges widespread disaster events across 10 states
By SHERRY BUNTING
Special for Farmshine
SCOTT TOWNSHIP, Pa. — USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins joined Congressman Rob Bresnahan (R-PA-8th) Tuesday, May 26 at Applewood Farm in northeastern Pennsylvania for a roundtable with ag leaders to hear what is impacting Pennsylvania farm country.
From there, she signed a federal disaster designation covering 17 Pennsylvania counties impacted by damaging freeze events April 19-21. Counties included are Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming, and York, with additional counties under review for inclusion as county level assessments are submitted and verified by FSA.
While much of the freeze damage centered on orchards and specialty crops, dairy farmers in affected counties may also qualify for assistance if losses impacted forage stands, hay or alfalfa production, pasture growth, livestock, honey bees, or other parts of an operation.
Eligible producers have until Jan. 26, 2027 to apply through USDA’s Farm Service Agency.
Bresnahan said: “Our farmers cannot control the weather, but Washington can make sure they are not left to shoulder these losses alone.”
Estimated statewide specialty crop freeze losses in Pennsylvania are between $150 and $200 million after unusually warm spring temperatures accelerated fruit bloom ahead of the late-April cold snap. New Jersey loss estimates are pegged at $300 million.
Separately, USDA’s Risk Management Agency acknowledged the April freeze as a widespread disaster event when it authorized emergency crop insurance adjustment procedures for affected producers across 10 Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states.
This comes amid a growing wave of USDA and FEMA declarations nationwide tied to freeze, drought, flooding, and storms affecting ag regions from New England to the Southeast, Mid-South, and Midwest, affecting forage supplies, pasture, hay and crop yields important to dairy and livestock feed inventories and purchase costs.
Widespread rain over the Memorial Day weekend brought needed moisture East and some short-term relief to drought-stressed forage and cattle regions of the Southeast, particularly in Georgia, where nearly all of the state is part of a disaster designation.
