Lawmakers propose emergency aid for farmers hit by April freeze

New Jersey lawmakers are proposing legislation to provide direct financial assistance to farmers whose crops were damaged or destroyed by a historic freeze in April.

Sen. Parker Space and Assembly members Dawn Fantasia and Michael Inganamort, all Republicans representing the 24th Legislative District, are introducing legislation that would establish a one-time Emergency Crop Loss Relief Program within the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

The program would provide grants or reimbursements for verified crop losses resulting from the freeze. The legislation calls for a streamlined application process, a per-farm funding cap and emergency regulations from the Department of Agriculture to expedite the distribution of aid.

The freeze occurred April 19-22, after unseasonably warm temperatures caused crops to bloom early. A sudden hard freeze then damaged blossoms and developing fruit across the state, resulting in an estimated $300 million in agricultural losses.

”New Jersey’s farmers are why we earn the nickname the ‘Garden State,’ and they experienced catastrophic losses through no fault of their own,” Space said. “Many invested an entire season’s worth of labor and resources only to see their crops destroyed by a single weather event.”

The freeze came after farmers had already invested in labor, fertilizer, equipment and irrigation. Many continue to face expenses including debt, property taxes, insurance premiums and payroll despite having little or no harvest to sell.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture granted New Jersey a Secretarial Disaster Designation, allowing affected farmers to apply for emergency low-interest federal loans. The lawmakers said state assistance would help address losses not covered by those loans.

”In talking with farmers from District 24 and throughout the state, the need for direct financial assistance is crystal clear,” Fantasia said. “The spring freeze produced devastating agricultural production losses and the Legislature needs to step in to help ensure the viability of our farms.”

New Jersey’s agricultural industry generates more than $1.5 billion in annual wholesale value and supports about 25,000 jobs statewide, according to the lawmakers. They warned that without assistance, some farms could be forced to reduce operations, lay off workers or close.

The proposed program is modeled on a state disaster relief framework used in 1999 following severe drought conditions that resulted in significant agricultural crop losses.

”These are hardworking families and small businesses that had already invested heavily in this year’s crop, only to watch months of work disappear in a matter of hours,” Inganamort said. “We cannot undo the freeze, but we can make sure a temporary disaster doesn’t become a permanent loss for the farms and communities that depend on agriculture.”