SALEM, Ohio — The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency designated 14 more Pennsylvania counties as natural disaster areas on Aug. 19 due to a late spring freeze that devastated fruit orchards across the state.
Allegheny, Beaver, Berks, Blair, Butler, Centre, Chester, Clinton, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Lebanon, Luzerne, McKean and Schuylkill counties are now primary natural disaster areas for the freeze that occurred between April 20 and May 31. Contiguous counties in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, New York and Delaware may also be eligible for disaster relief through the USDA. The application deadline is April 12, 2027.
Pennsylvania counties lost roughly $150 million to $200 million from the single freeze, with some crops lost entirely, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
In June, the USDA designated Adams, Cumberland, Lackawanna, Montour and York counties as natural disaster areas due to the freeze, and in July designated Bedford, Columbia, Snyder and Union counties.
The latest round of disaster declarations came as these other Pennsylvania counties evaluated the full impact of the freeze, according to Rick Ebert, state executive director for USDA FSA’s Pennsylvania branch.
There are now 58 Pennsylvania counties covered by primary or contiguous USDA disaster declarations for the late spring freeze.
The natural disaster designation allows the USDA Farm Service Agency to extend emergency loans to producers recovering from natural disasters. This emergency funding can be used to replace essential items like equipment, reorganize the farming operation or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, available funding and repayment ability. To file a notice of loss, reach out to your local USDA Service Center.
For more information on the USDA’s disaster relief funding, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/news-events/news/08-19-2026/usda-designates-14-pennsylvania-counties-natural-disaster-areas-freeze.
State aid
Additionally, the Pennsylvania 2026-27 state budget included $10 million to fund the state’s Fruit Grower Freeze Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants.
Grants are available to fruit producers who lost at least 30% of their crops during the April 1 to April 21 freeze. Eligible crops include apples, pears and other pome fruits; peaches, cherries and other stone fruits; grapes and berries.
Applications are being accepted from Aug. 24 until Sept. 21 at 11:59 p.m. For more information on Pennsylvania’s Fruit Grower Freeze Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants, visit www.pa.gov/services/pda/apply-for-the-pa-fruit-grower-freeze-disaster-assistance-recovery-grant.
