New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill declares state of emergency after a very unusual freeze last month caused major crop damage

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New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill has signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency after a mid-April cold snap caused at least $300 million in crop losses.

Sherrill said she sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, requesting a Secretarial Disaster Designation. If granted, it will unlock critical federal relief for New Jersey growers facing devastating losses from the unprecedented freeze event.

The declaration follows a preliminary assessment by the state Department of Agriculture in coordination with the state’s Farm Service Agency County Committees.

In the middle of last month, a prolonged warm spell pushed temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas of the Garden State, causing fruit trees and crops to flower earlier than normal. The above-average warm weather was immediately followed by temperatures plunging into the 20s between April 19 and April 22. According to the governor’s office, the timing of the unusual weather was particularly destructive because crops were at a critical stage of development when the freeze hit.

The damage was widespread across New Jersey, affecting peaches, cherries, pears, grapes, plums, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, apples and other crops. Some farmers reported losses approaching or exceeding 90%. In several regions, the losses may prove season-ending for key fruit crops.

The governor said in a statement, “New Jersey’s agricultural sector is a vital engine of our economy; it is the very reason we bear the name the Garden State. The April freeze caused serious damage to our growers, and those losses demand decisive action. This executive order mobilizes a whole-of-government recovery effort out of Trenton, cutting through bureaucracy and accelerating results for impacted farmers and families. Our farming families are hurting, and I won’t stand by and let it happen.”

“Governor Sherrill’s declaration of a State of Emergency sends a clear message that New Jersey stands behind its farming community in the wake of the April freeze,” said Ed Wengryn, New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture, in a statement. “This executive order cuts through bureaucracy and opens the door to immediate assistance for our tree fruit and berry growers, while laying the groundwork for broader relief ahead. As our farmers work to recover, we encourage New Jerseyans to continue supporting them by buying local. When the state and federal government move together, our farmers are stronger for it.”

State Sen. Nilsa Cruz-Perez, chair of the Senate Economic Growth Committee, said the spring freeze hit farmers hard as they are already facing growing financial strain due to inflation, fuel and rising operating costs. “This Secretarial Disaster Designation would provide desperately needed relief to the Garden State farming community, helping these essential businesses recover their losses and continue the vital operations on which we all depend,” Cruz-Perez said in a statement.