Federal Disaster Declaration Approved for Pennsylvania Fruit Growers After Freeze
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins approves federal disaster aid for 17 Pennsylvania counties after devastating April freeze decimated fruit crops.
HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA — U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins signed a federal disaster declaration for 17 Pennsylvania counties Tuesday to assist growers affected by a spring freeze that destroyed fruit blossoms across the commonwealth last month.
The late freeze from April 19-21 caused widespread damage to blooming crops, including apple, peach, and pear orchards throughout the affected regions.
Emergency Loans Available to Affected Producers
The secretarial disaster declaration triggers the availability of emergency credit through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) for producers recovering from the natural disaster. The loans may be used for recovery needs, including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of farming operations, or to refinance certain debts.
“Our farmers cannot control the weather, but Washington can make sure they are not left to shoulder these losses alone,” said U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-8th District), who spoke at a news conference Tuesday in Lackawanna County.
Relief Efforts Focus on Agricultural Economy
Bresnahan emphasized that the disaster declaration will help provide relief to farmers who keep communities fed and support the commonwealth’s agricultural economy. The Farm Service Agency will review loan applications based on the extent of losses, security availability, and the borrower’s ability to repay.
“This designation is a first step forward to help agricultural producers access emergency loans and programs in the aftermath of freezing temperatures. Under President Trump, USDA will continue to put farmers first and make sure they have the resources they need,” Rollins said at a roundtable with farmers, community leaders, and agricultural stakeholders in Bresnahan’s district.
State Officials Survey Damage
State officials visited Cherry Hill Orchards in Lancaster County on May 8, 2026, calling for federal aid following the damaging April crop freeze. The visit highlighted the extensive damage suffered by Pennsylvania’s fruit growing operations during the unseasonably late freeze event.
The disaster declaration represents federal recognition of the significant agricultural losses sustained during the three-day freeze period that struck during the blooming season for fruit trees across Pennsylvania.
