Bresnahan Hosts Secretary Rollins in PA to Sign Disaster Declaration Following Devastating Freeze

SCOTT TOWNSHIP, PA: Today, U.S. Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (PA-08) hosted U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins for a roundtable discussion with local farmers, community leaders, and agricultural stakeholders impacted by April's devastating freeze. Following the roundtable, Rep. Bresnahan and Secretary Rollins held a press conference where Secretary Rollins signed a Secretarial Disaster Declaration for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a response to a catastrophic freeze that stuck Pennsylvania on April 20-21, 2026.

"Our farmers cannot control the weather, but Washington can make sure they are not left to shoulder these losses alone," said Rep. Bresnahan. "The April freeze devastated orchards and specialty crop producers across Pennsylvania, and this declaration will help get critical relief to the growers who keep our communities fed and our agricultural economy strong. I'm grateful to Secretary Rollins for working with us to deliver support for Pennsylvania farmers."

"Fighting for our farmers means being there for them when Mother Nature hits, today we are showing that USDA stands with Pennsylvania agriculture - and we will continue working to ensure producers have the support they need to recover and move forward," said Secretary Brooke Rollins. "This designation is a first step forward to help agricultural producers access emergency loans and programs in the aftermath of freezing temperatures. Under President Trump, USDA will continue to put farmers first and make sure they have the resources they need."

The Secretarial Disaster Declaration will make affected farms eligible for low-interest emergency loans and additional USDA disaster relief resources needed to manage ongoing operational costs and mitigate losses.

Last week, Rep. Bresnahan joined bipartisan members of Pennsylvania's congressional delegation in calling on USDA to approve a Secretarial Disaster Declaration for all counties in the Commonwealth. You can read the full letter here or below:

We write to voice our strong support for a Secretarial Disaster Declaration for all counties in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania due to the catastrophic freeze that occurred on April 20-21, 2026. This significant, unprecedented event caused extraordinary damage to blooming crops, notably Pennsylvania's apple, peach, and pear orchards.

Early estimates from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture show that Pennsylvania's specialty crop industry could face between $150 million and $200 million in economic losses due to these low temperatures. This rare late April freeze, with temperatures dropping into the low 20's for extended periods, now has our constituents anticipating near-total crop losses for the season.

Our farmers desperately need this Secretarial Designation and the associated low-interest loans from USDA to manage ongoing costs as they continue to grapple with the crippling impacts caused by these destructive low temperatures.

We urge you to take swift action to support Pennsylvania's specialty crop growers. The top industry in Pennsylvania is agriculture, and the small family farms that we represent in Congress are at risk. Disaster resources from USDA are critical to ensuring that our farms, orchards, and vineyards can survive these historic losses and contribute to our country's agricultural heritage for generations to come.

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