By Kat Bolus
Chuck Gould lost 95% of the apples, peaches and other produce beginning to bud on his Monroe County farm during an unexpected frost that lasted from April 19 to 21.
"Just all of the things that we have to prevent against freezing just don't work in those kinds of temperatures," he said.
Gould joined a roundtable discussion with United States Secretary of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins at the Nogan Family's Applewood Farm in Scott Twp. on Tuesday. The secretary stood in front of the farm's Angus beef cows and signed a disaster declaration for 17 counties in Pennsylvania to help farmers, like Gould, recover financially from the frost.
The declaration was requested by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who sent a letter to the USDA in early May. Eight U.S. Representatives from Pennsylvania also sent a letter on May 15.
The roundtable discussion was hosted by U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan and joined by farmers from the 8th congressional district, which the Republican congressman represents.
Rollins said Tuesday the extent of the damage from the frost is still being researched, but it’s estimated that farmers in Pennsylvania lost $150 to $200 million in revenue from the cold weather.
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