Maryland Delegation Urges Trump Administration to Approve Disaster Designation for Maryland Counties Impacted by Destructive April Freeze

Today, the full Maryland Congressional Delegation - U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and U.S. Representatives Steny Hoyer, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, Jamie Raskin, Glenn Ivey, Sarah Elfreth, April McClain Delaney, and Johnny Olszewski (all Md.) - urged Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to exercise her authority to approve the State of Maryland's request for a Secretarial Disaster Designation in response to crop damage from the April 21, 2026 freeze and frost event, and to act quickly to provide emergency assistance to farmers. Preliminary reports indicate major losses at Maryland farms, especially among specialty crops, with orchards and vineyards seeing some of the worst impacts.

Governor Wes Moore's request for a Secretarial Disaster Designation would unlock U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) emergency loan funding for impacted farmers. With challenging economic conditions already burdening Maryland farmers, it is critical that USDA grant a disaster declaration and make emergency financial assistance programs available to impacted Maryland farmers as quickly as possible.

"We write to you as the Maryland Congressional Delegation to urge you to expeditiously approve the request from Maryland Governor Wes Moore to issue a Secretarial Disaster Designation for Maryland counties impacted by the April 21, 2026 freeze and frost event that has severely damaged Maryland crops, and to make emergency financial assistance available to impacted farmers as quickly as possible," Team Maryland wrote.

The lawmakers noted the severe extent of the freeze and frost, writing, "Preliminary reports indicate major losses at Maryland farms, especially among specialty crops, with orchards and vineyards seeing some of the worst impacts. Several Maryland jurisdictions have reported losses as high as 99% for peach crops and 94% for apple crops. Additionally, a survey conducted by the Maryland Farm Bureau indicates that impacted farmers are expecting an average crop loss of 67.5%, with some farmers reporting near total losses of their 2026 crops, which far exceeds the 30% threshold required for a Secretarial disaster declaration. This is a devastating loss for Maryland farmers, many of whom will not be able to recover their sunk costs from this growing season."

They went on to note the economic importance of agriculture in Maryland, stating, "Agriculture is a major economic driver in Maryland and the backbone of Maryland's rural communities, representing the single largest commercial industry in the state with 12,600 farms that support 350,000 jobs and generate $8 billion in annual economic value."

"We stand ready to work with you to support Maryland farmers faced with recovering from major financial losses due to this extreme weather event. It is critical that aid be delivered in time to allow farmers to recover and prepare for the next growing season," they concluded.

The full text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Secretary Rollins,

We write to you as the Maryland Congressional Delegation to urge you to expeditiously approve the request from Maryland Governor Wes Moore to issue a Secretarial Disaster Designation for Maryland counties impacted by the April 21, 2026 freeze and frost event that has severely damaged Maryland crops, and to make emergency financial assistance available to impacted farmers as quickly as possible, pursuant to the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 301, 7 U.S.C. 1961 and 1989, and implemented by 7 CFR §759.

Preliminary reports indicate major losses at Maryland farms, especially among specialty crops, with orchards and vineyards seeing some of the worst impacts. Several Maryland jurisdictions have reported losses as high as 99% for peach crops and 94% for apple crops. Additionally, a survey conducted by the Maryland Farm Bureau indicates that impacted farmers are expecting an average crop loss of 67.5%, with some farmers reporting near total losses of their 2026 crops, which far exceeds the 30% threshold required for a Secretarial disaster declaration. This is a devastating loss for Maryland farmers, many of whom will not be able to recover their sunk costs from this growing season. These same farmers will still need to continue to invest in maintaining their farms and planning for next season; doing so without the expected revenue from this season's sales to offset those costs could threaten these farms' financial viability.

Agriculture is a major economic driver in Maryland and the backbone of Maryland's rural communities, representing the single largest commercial industry in the state with 12,600 farms that support 350,000 jobs and generate $8 billion in annual economic value. Maryland is also a hub for small farming, with the majority of Maryland farms consisting of less than 50 acres of land. Small farms are more vulnerable to major shocks like this severe cold event, and farms across the state have already been struggling due to rising input costs and challenging economic conditions, underscoring the urgent need for USDA to grant a disaster declaration and to make funding available for Maryland farmers who have suffered major crop losses.

We stand ready to work with you to support Maryland farmers faced with recovering from major financial losses due to this extreme weather event. It is critical that aid be delivered in time to allow farmers to recover and prepare for the next growing season. Thank you for your urgent attention to this important manner.