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Cross post from the NJ forum: New Jersey Declares State of Emergency After April Freeze Wipes Out $300M in Crops.
Climate instability in New Jersey: New Jersey Declares State of Emergency After April Freeze Wipes Out $300M in Crops
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has declared a state of emergency across all 21 counties following an April freeze that caused an estimated $300 million in crop losses—one of the state’s most devastating agricultural losses in recent history.
Sherrill signed the executive order Wednesday and sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins requesting a Secretarial Disaster Designation, which would unlock federal relief for affected farmers.
The damage traces back to an unusual weather pattern last month. A prolonged warm spell pushed temperatures above 90 degrees in parts of New Jersey in mid-April, causing fruit trees and crops to flower earlier than normal. However, disaster struck when temperatures subsequently plunged into the 20s between April 19 and 22—hitting crops during vulnerable stages of development.
As we previously reported, the freeze devastated fruit crops across the state, including peaches, cherries, pears, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and apples. Some farmers reported losses approaching or exceeding 90%. A cherry farmer in Glassboro lost an entire season’s worth of crop. His farm will not open for 2026 as a result.
“The April freeze caused serious damage to our growers, and those losses demand decisive action,” Sherrill said in a statement. “This executive order mobilizes a whole-of-government recovery effort out of Trenton, cutting through bureaucracy and accelerating results for impacted farmers and families...”
Sherrill signed the executive order Wednesday and sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins requesting a Secretarial Disaster Designation, which would unlock federal relief for affected farmers.
The damage traces back to an unusual weather pattern last month. A prolonged warm spell pushed temperatures above 90 degrees in parts of New Jersey in mid-April, causing fruit trees and crops to flower earlier than normal. However, disaster struck when temperatures subsequently plunged into the 20s between April 19 and 22—hitting crops during vulnerable stages of development.
As we previously reported, the freeze devastated fruit crops across the state, including peaches, cherries, pears, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and apples. Some farmers reported losses approaching or exceeding 90%. A cherry farmer in Glassboro lost an entire season’s worth of crop. His farm will not open for 2026 as a result.
“The April freeze caused serious damage to our growers, and those losses demand decisive action,” Sherrill said in a statement. “This executive order mobilizes a whole-of-government recovery effort out of Trenton, cutting through bureaucracy and accelerating results for impacted farmers and families...”
I added the bold.
Our Governor has committed to doing New Jersey's share in addressing extreme weather driven by the ongoing collapse of the planetary atmosphere by authorizing and encouraging nuclear power plants to be built here, but we're a small part of the world.
We are not the only place on Earth that will have trouble supplying food to our citizens, a scary thought.
4 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
Be sure to bring the cows!!!
I'm not big into smileys but I'll make an exception:
