The USDA is expanding emergency crop insurance relief for apple growers hit by a damaging late-April freeze in Maryland, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. The Risk Management Agency is allowing approved insurance providers to finalize certain crop insurance claims before growers finish harvesting or marketing damaged apples. The change gives producers more flexibility to decide whether fruit should be sold fresh, sent to processing, or handled another way. "At USDA, we're prioritizing American farmers to ensure they have the tools they need to be successful," said Farm Production and Conservation Undersecretary Richard Fordyce. "This flexibility puts Farmers First, allowing them to put their fruit to its best use." Growers who choose that option must provide production records after the crop is marketed. USDA says the move responds to requests from producers and packers while helping preserve crop insurance integrity and keeping more apples moving through the marketplace.
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