Maryland Wins Federal Disaster Declaration After Freeze Devastates Crops

Maryland has received a federal disaster declaration from the U.S. Department of Agriculture after a spring freeze caused severe crop losses across parts of the state, opening the door to emergency loans and other financial relief for affected farmers, including grape growers.

The designation follows a request made in May by Gov. Wes Moore after a cold snap in mid-April damaged specialty crops such as perennial fruit trees and grapevines. According to the governor’s office, temperatures fell into the low 20s early on April 21 after weeks of unusually warm weather, a shift that hit crops at a vulnerable stage and pushed losses beyond the 30% threshold required for federal disaster assistance.

The USDA designated 12 Maryland counties as primary natural disaster areas: Baltimore, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Washington and Wicomico. The agency said it could not yet make a complete and accurate determination of production losses in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Kent, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s counties, and will decide on those areas later.

State officials said damage assessments by the Maryland Farm Service Agency found losses in some counties reached 94% for apples, 99% for peaches and 98% for barley. The Maryland Wineries Association has estimated that the freeze could lead to $2.4 million in losses for Maryland wineries.

Moore said the state sought federal help after what he described as catastrophic damage to parts of Maryland agriculture. In a statement, he said farmers were facing unprecedented climate-related challenges and that the state had a duty to respond quickly.

The declaration allows eligible producers to seek low-interest emergency loans and credit extensions through the USDA’s Farm Service Agency. State officials said the aid is intended to help farmers cover production costs and support jobs during what Maryland Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks called a multi-year recovery process.

Atticks said many producers are dealing with millions of dollars in ongoing maintenance expenses even without crop income. He said the state would continue working with federal agencies and Maryland’s congressional delegation to stabilize farm businesses and preserve market conditions.

The Maryland Farm Bureau said the emergency loans could help growers replace essential equipment, reorganize operations or refinance certain debts as they move through a difficult year.

For the beverage sector, the declaration matters because vineyard losses can affect both financing needs and the pace of recovery for the 2026 crop in Maryland’s wine industry. Grape growers often must keep spending on labor and vine care even when yields collapse, which can strain cash flow well beyond one season. The added pressure comes as farms in the state also contend with drought conditions that officials said have further stressed operations.

Farmers in affected counties have been urged to contact their local USDA Farm Service Agency offices to review eligibility and begin applications for assistance.