'The worst we've ever had.' April freeze triggers $300M blow to New Jersey agriculture
Farmers tell News 12 that the loss will mean higher prices for shoppers at grocery stores and less apple picking available for families come fall.
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Like many farms around New Jersey, Russo's Farm in Tabernacle lost all of its apple and peach crops during an April freeze. For the Russos, that was a 25-acre loss.
Farmers tell News 12 that the loss will mean higher prices for shoppers at grocery stores and less apple picking available for families come fall.
Russo's Farm got a visit from Gov. Mikie Sherrill on Thursday. The governor is applying for federal aid for New Jersey farmers, who are collectively taking a projected $300 million loss due to the change in the weather.
"We really want to keep our farmers whole, here, and they’ve just suffered a devastating blow this summer. I declared a state of emergency. We have about $300 million in damages," said Sherrill.
The apple trees on the Russo farm should be filled with fruit. Instead, there are very few of the Ginger Golds left on the branches. Owner Anthony Russo says any apples or peaches in grocery stores this fall will need to be shipped in, which will mean a higher price for shoppers.
“I don’t know how it could be any more expensive than it is, honestly, but they’re gonna have to be shipped in from elsewhere. There’s not going to be enough around here," said Russo. “We had the heat, and then we had the four days, 80s and 90s, pushed stuff along, and then we had the freeze after that. I’m 57, third generation here. This is probably the worst we’ve ever had."
It's another setback for Russo, who says, like other farmers, he's been forced to pay more for fuel and fertilizer.
The crop loss is part of the reason for the USDA saying the nation will feel a hike in the price of food.
The USDA is projecting the price of food to increase by 3.4 percent. Grocery store prices could go up by 3.2%, according to the USDA.
