Menallen Township, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) Secretary Russell Redding visited Three Springs Fruit Farm in Adams County to encourage Pennsylvania fruit growers who lost crops during a devastating late-April freeze to apply for relief throughPennsylvania’s new Fruit Grower Freeze Disaster Assistance Recovery Grant Program, beginning on August 24. The grant program was created with a $10 million investment secured by the Governor in the 2026-27 budget, making Pennsylvania the only state in the mid-Atlantic with dedicated funding to support fruit growers impacted by this freeze.
These grants build on the Shapiro Administration’s strong support for impacted growers – Governor Shapiro sent a letter calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expedite damage assessment reports and to issue a secretarial disaster declaration in May. The USDA has since granted 58 Pennsylvania counties disaster designations, which allow growers to seek low-interest loans to restore operations and get faster damage assessments to finalize crop insurance claims.
“Over the last few months, my Administration has talked to growers across the Commonwealth, learning about the hardships they expect to go through in the coming months and the help they need to get through it,” said Governor Shapiro. “A sudden freeze like the one we experienced in April will make the very real challenges they face – from workforce issues, to closing markets as a result of tariffs, to the cost of doing business going up — even harder. While I know these grants won’t cover all of our farmers’ losses, they’re another step in the right direction, and we will keep fighting to ensure they stay afloat.”
PDA will begin accepting Freeze Disaster Assistance Recovery Grant applications from Pennsylvania growers whose pome or stone fruits (such as apples, pears, peaches, and cherries) or grape or berry crops were affected by freezing temperatures between April 1, 2026, and April 21, 2026. Growers who experienced losses of at least 30 percent of expected production of eligible crops may apply. Detailed instructions will be published in the August 22, 2026 issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin and on the PDA website. Applications will be accepted by mail or email beginning on August 24, through September 21, 2026.
“We are committed to helping Pennsylvania fruit growers recover from one of the most damaging spring freezes in recent memory,” said Ag Secretary Redding. “Governor Shapiro and the General Assembly recognized the urgent need to support an industry that is vital to our economy and our communities. Combined with federal assistance we continue fighting to secure, we’re helping growers recover and rebound over the uphill climb ahead.”
Pennsylvania growers reported their worst losses in several generations due to the freeze, with many reporting a near 100 percent crop loss in apples, and serious impacts to peach, cherry, strawberry, and grape yields. PDA has estimated the Commonwealth’s specialty crop industry could face between $150 million to $200 million in economic losses.
As one of the region’s hard-hit growers, Three Springs Fruit Farm has estimated a 50 percent loss to their apple crop and seen a decrease in stone fruit growth, resulting in significant business decline. While the farm is typically able to wholesale approximately $7,000 worth of peaches per week during this time of year, the farm has been unable to sell $7,000 in peaches throughout this entire season.
“Here at Three Springs Fruit Farm, my family's operation goes back nearly 200 years, and I'm the seventh generation farmer in our family,” said Ben Wenk, Owner, Three Springs Fruit Farm. “This year’s apple harvest has begun, but our harvest numbers are down significantly and we’ve had to reduce some of our staff. While we've been prioritizing our farmers markets with the fruit we do have, consumer communication has been an issue. We know this freeze is going to have a ripple effect across the whole of our community, but we’re a resilient bunch and we’re grateful to be working with our local, state, and federal government.”
“The freeze recovery grants are a lifeline for struggling farms while our season is still ongoing. The $10 million in aid will be put to work immediately to cover harvest payroll and the required expenses of tending to our orchards,” said Sarah Zost, President, State Horticultural Association of PA. “Thank you Governor Shapiro and state legislators for engaging with growers across the state and securing this aid for us in the state budget. It will help us navigate this devastating year and is a great first step to help us make it to a bountiful harvest in 2027.”
During a July roundtable at Centre County’s Way Fruit Farm, Secretary Redding also reiterated the Administration’s call for continued federal support to help fruit growers recover from severe weather-related losses and strengthen the long-term resilience of Pennsylvania agriculture. Key requests included:
- Statewide USDA disaster declaration: 58 Pennsylvania counties have received disaster designations as of today, with a handful of adjacent counties qualifying through neighboring states. Governor Shapiro and Sec. Redding requested a statewide designation in addition to other requests awaiting USDA action.
- Expanded crop insurance flexibilities: PDA asked USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) to expedite insurance payments through advances and exclude fancy-grade fruit from pack-out calculations. RMA recently announced additional flexibilities, but only for apple growers, leaving other specialty crops without relief. The Shapiro Administration continues to advocate for flexibilities for additional growers.
- Insurance for processors and packers: PDA requested that USDA establish a crop insurance program for processors and packers, a proposal supported in HR1, which Congress in late May.
- Federal block grant funding: Pennsylvania is leading a multi-state effort with New York, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey to urge Congress to provide USDA block-grant funding. This would allow states to create flexible relief programs tailored to the unique harmful effects on specific fruit crops and locations.
The Shapiro Administration has been directly engaged with more than 200 growers and agricultural stakeholders across the Commonwealth to gather firsthand damage reports and identify immediate needs facing the industry, including Three Springs Fruit Farm and Lancaster County’s Cherry Hill Orchards.
Supporting Farmers and Making Critical Investments in the Future of Pennsylvania Agriculture and Food Security
Pennsylvania’s agriculture sector is the backbone of the Commonwealth, with more than 48,800 farmscontributing over $132 billion a year to the economy and supporting nearly 600,000 jobs in Pennsylvania. Additionally, the Commonwealth ranks fourth in the nation in apple, grape, and peach production, fifth in the nation in strawberry production, and sixth in the nation in cherry production.
The 2026-27 budget signed by Governor Shapiro continues to make agriculture and food security top priorities — helping farmers, families, and communities thrive, including:
- $5 million from the existing Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) fund to expand education for farmers working to combat the spread of HPAI.
- $10 million to fund a third year of the Agricultural Innovation Grant Program to put innovative technology into practice to help Pennsylvania agricultural businesses improve efficiency and increase production, protect soil and water resources, and generate clean, renewable energy. Last week, Lt. Governor Davis announced the second round of Ag Innovation Grants – which will support 97 projects and leverage $4.8 million in private investment.
- $13.8 million to fully fund an eighth year of the Pennsylvania Farm Bill to support business planning, infrastructure, and workforce development.
“Pennsylvania orchards and local producers are an essential part of our agricultural economy and provide the fresh, local fruits we look for at our farmer's markets and grocery store. I’ve seen firsthand the devastation the freeze caused, and it is going to have a lasting economic impact on our farmers,” said Agriculture Chairwoman Senator Judith Schwank, PA’s 11th Senate District. “I am proud we were able to come together and provide some relief for those affected as a part of our state budget, and I appreciate Governor Shapiro’s and Secretary Redding’s advocacy on this issue.”
“This grant program is a vital resource for our specialty crop farmers who suffered catastrophic loss from the crop freeze this past spring,” said Senator Elder Vogel, PA’s 47th Senate District. “I am pleased to see these funds come available after the passage of last month's budget. I encourage all eligible crop farmers to apply for this funding opportunity.”
Round one of Ag Innovation Grants are already at work across Pennsylvania funding 88 innovative projects, including those that will help orchard owners recover and thrive amid increasingly common severe weather events, erratic market conditions, and labor shortages in the future.
While some early-blossoming fruits may be harder to find this season, consumers can help support their local farms by buying locally grown, in-season fruit and looking for the blue and yellow PA Preferred® logo wherever they shop.
Learn how you can support Pennsylvania farms and find a market, event, product, or restaurant near you on the PA Preferred website.
Read more about Governor Shapiro’s 2026-27 budget, view the Governor’s remarks as prepared here, or watch the Governor’s delivered remarks here.