Gov. Phil Scott is asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to declare a disaster in Vermont as a result of a freak freeze in May that devastated orchards and vineyards around the state.

"The hard frost destroyed fruit blossoms and damaged vines throughout the state," Scott wrote in a June 19 letter to Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack. "We anticipate severe crop losses."

Scott is asking for the declaration to apply to Windham, Windsor, Orange, Washington, Caledonia, Orleans, Essex, Lamoille, Grand Isle, Franklin, Chittenden, Addison, Rutland and Bennington counties, an indication of how widespread the damage was. That's all 14 counties in Vermont.

If Vilsack agrees to declare a disaster, financial assistance, including low-interest USDA Farm Service Agency emergency loans, would become available to eligible growers in the approved counties.

"The damage is extensive and pervasive, and we anticipate small pick-your-own farms may be particularly impacted," Scott wrote in his letter to Vilsack. "Unfortunately, the vast majority of Vermont's orchards and vineyards do not have crop insurance."

Ethan Joseph of Shelburne Vineyard told the Burlington Free Press last month the vineyard does have insurance, but only for its grapes, not for the wine produced from the grapes.

"It's really just a token amount that we will get," Joseph said. "It doesn't come anywhere close to the value of the product, once it's turned into wine."

Worst freeze damage to crops in 25 years

The damage from the freeze was widespread in New England and beyond. Vermont Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts signed on to a June 14 letter sent to Vilsack by agriculture department officials in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The letter cites Terence Bradshaw, director of the University of Vermont's Horticulture Research and Education Center, as saying "this is the worst freeze/frost damage observed in more than 25 years in the industry."

Growers in all the affected states are at a "critical crossroads," according to the letter, trying to figure out if they can continue to operate.

"Without aid, we will see devastating blows to local economies because of downsizing and closing businesses," the agriculture officials wrote.

Farmers' losses in orchards and vineyards in the millions of dollars

In his letter to Vilsack, Scott said UVM's Fruit Program had received 37 reports in response to a survey, from "at least nine counties" in Vermont telling of widespread damage to fruit crops, including apples, grapes, peaches, other stone fruit and blueberries.

"Farmers reported debilitating damage with most orchards describing at least 95% crop losses," Scott wrote. "In total, farmers reported approximately $5.8 million in projected orchard losses."

The Program expects losses to reach more than $10 million when orchards that did not respond to the survey are included.

Vermont vineyards reported an average 52% crop loss, equalling about $927,000 in damages. Once vineyards that have not reported are added in, the Program expects those losses to climb to $1.2 million.

Source - https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com