NJ farms, battered by spring frost, cleared to seek emergency loans

This article first appeared in New Jersey Monitor, a nonprofit content-sharing partner of NJ Spotlight News.

Federal agricultural officials have declared all 21 New Jersey counties natural disaster areas after a mid-April freeze killed early-blooming fruits and other crops, a designation that allows farmers to apply for low-interest emergency loans to recover from losses.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency and wrote to federal authorities seeking the federal disaster declaration in May, a month after the four-day cold snap zapped budding crops and caused damage that officials expect could top $300 million.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture also approved the disaster declaration for 15 counties in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New York.

Tree fruits, strawberries, blueberries and other early-budding perennial crops were especially hard hit, farmers reported.

The loans, via the Farm Service Agency, can be used to replace essential farm items like equipment or livestock, reorganize operations or refinance certain debts, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“For a family farm, the difference between a lost season and a fresh start often comes down to whether help arrives in time,” Sherrill said in a statement.

She urged New Jersey residents to help farmers recover.

“Visit a nearby farm. Buy local. Show up for your neighbors. Every dollar spent at a New Jersey farm stand is a vote of confidence in the people who feed us,” she said.

Sherrill also issued an executive order, which remains in place, directing state agencies to work together to facilitate farm recovery and granting farms statewide temporary regulatory flexibility.