New Hampshire and other northeastern states are asking the federal government for help after deep freezes in February and May contributed to significant crop losses.
In a letter sent to Agriculture Department Secretary Tom Vilsack this week, farm service leaders across the region say relief is necessary because of the extensive damage.
The extreme cold has had a devastating effect on many growers, state agriculture officials say – damaging important fruits such as apples, peaches, grapes, strawberries and blueberries. New Hampshire Agriculture Commissioner Sean Jasper said the freezes wiped out 75 percent of the state's apple crop and rendered much of the surviving fruit unmarketable.
Brian Ferguson, owner of Flag Hill Distillery and Winery in Lee, said he lost “basically all” of his grape crop in May and will have to buy most of the fruit needed to make wine. He expects the effects of that one cold night to linger into the future: He expects a reduced crop next year and may have to replant some grapes, a process that could take up to three years.
“We still have to maintain the vineyard for the year, so we still have all the expenses of a very expensive crop to maintain and grow initially,” he said. “And after that, we have to buy all the fruit we normally grow. So it's quite a change from what our winery normally looks like.”
Vilsack and Jasper discussed the relief request during the agriculture secretary's visit to Manchester on Thursday. Afterward, Jasper said he was optimistic about potential federal support.
“There are some tools available to them, probably not just cash grants, but particularly with farms that already have relationships with USDA through the farm service program, through loans or loans that are guaranteed,” Jasper said. “There is some hope for modifications so that people can survive.”
The amount and method of relief should be determined by Congress.
