Crop Loss FAQ

An unusually warm spring caused crops across Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, and beyond to bloom weeks earlier than usual. Then, a severe hard frost hit in mid-April and damaged much of that growth. Many orchards lost most or all of their stone fruit (apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches, plums) and apple crops overnight. Many farms also lost much of their grapes and berry crops.

Local tree fruit may be scarce this year. To ensure you can still access high-quality regional fruit, FRESHFARM is temporarily allowing farmers who suffered losses to source from trusted partner farms. However, available tree fruit may be limited in variety, might look a bit different but still be delicious, and prices may be higher.

FRESHFARM is developing individual agreements with affected farmers on a case-by-case basis. These agreements allow for temporary, monitored, and transparent resale of fruit. In order for farmers to resell fruit, FRESHFARM will require third-party verification of damage, a site visit by our staff, and confirmation of which crops the farmer will be reselling and for what dates. These arrangements will provide needed support to farmers who have experienced disastrous crop loss as a result of this climate event AND safeguard the producer-only value and brand that FRESHFARM seeks to uphold.

Farmers will be transparent about sourcing — just ask. Our farmers are proud of the fruit they grow and want to ensure they continue to bring you the high-quality product you expect. Farmers will be happy to answer any questions you have about where their produce comes from and about their relationship with the farmers they may be buying from.

Factors such as the microclimate in an orchard, tree variety and biology, and active management (fires, wind machines, and frost dragons to keep trees warm) mean that some orchards have fruit this season. What crops survived this extreme weather event varies considerably within a single orchard or area.

The impacts are likely to extend beyond fresh fruit. Value-added products that farmers produce from their fruit and sell at markets, such as cider, jams, jellies, fruit butters, and dried apples, may also be affected, reducing an important source of revenue for many growers.

Many farmers, stretching from West Virginia to Upstate New York and beyond, have reported total or near-total crop losses this year. This impacts not only their ability to bring fruit to market but also their ability to pay their expenses, keep staff employed, and plan for the next season. While some farmers have diversified income streams that can keep them afloat in a crisis, the scale of this crop loss was devastating for many in the local farming community. It will take time to recover from what one seventh-generation tree fruit farmer described to FRESHFARM as a “100-year frost event.”

Your farmers are still here — absorbing losses, planting and harvesting what they can, and packing their trucks to feed our community. Farmers markets are even more important to farmers during difficult seasons. Coming to market and spending your grocery dollars locally is the most meaningful thing you can do right now.