Funding for Fruit Growers Affected by February’s Extreme Cold

Mar 14, 2023

Grape and other fruit growers whose crops were affected by the extreme cold weather in February will soon receive additional support to help them recover.

Agriculture Minister Greg Morrow announced $15 million in funding today, March 9, in Wolfville.

“I’ve talked to farmers about the impact last month’s extreme cold had on their crops, and some are predicting a full loss of their fruit harvest this year,” said Minister Morrow. “This funding will help cover some of the extraordinary costs producers are facing over the next few years as the full scope of the damage is revealed.”

Early assessments indicate up to 100 per cent of grapes, raspberries, peaches, cherries and plums may be lost this year. The actual percentage loss and the long-term impact of the extreme cold won’t be known until spring.

The Department of Agriculture will work with industry representatives over the next few months to design and deliver programs that will meet their needs. It will help with losses not covered by business risk management programs like crop insurance. The new fund may also support replant programs and climate change mitigation projects.

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Video: Understanding the Basics of the Renewable Fuel Standard

On Friday, April 24, 2026, from 12 noon–1:00 ET, the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law, alongside the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s (PDA) Agricultural Business Development Center (ABDC), presented this webinar in the Understanding Agricultural Law Educational Series, a course designed to develop subject matter literacy and competence on fundamental issues of agricultural law for attorneys and business advisors who work with or represent agricultural or rural clients but may not necessarily specialize in agricultural law:

“Understanding the Basics of the Renewable Fuel Standard”

The Clean Air Act’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program requires transportation fuel sold in the United States to contain a minimum volume of renewable fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel, or advanced biofuels. Established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and later expanded by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the RFS is implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with the Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

This webinar provides an overview of the legal authority and structure for the RFS program and explain how it works, including the program’s system of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) and categories of renewable fuels. Additionally, this webinar addresses EPA annual volume requirement rulemaking and associated recent legal issues.