Important Information for Nurseries and Greenhouses Suffering April Freeze Damage

SCOTT TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Nursery growers and greenhouse operators may be eligible for several USDA disaster assistance programs tied to the recent Pennsylvania freeze disaster declaration signed by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. The declaration primarily triggers access to USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency assistance programs for producers in designated and contiguous counties.

For the nursery, greenhouse, and landscape plant industry, the most relevant programs include:

1. Emergency Loans (FSA)

This is the main benefit automatically opened by the disaster declaration.

Eligible nursery and greenhouse businesses in designated counties may apply for low-interest Emergency Loans through USDA FSA to help recover from production and physical losses caused by the freeze. Funds can be used for:

• Replacing damaged inventory
• Covering operating expenses
• Refinancing certain debts
• Restoring cash flow
• Replacing essential equipment or structures damaged by disaster impacts

These loans are available to producers unable to obtain sufficient commercial credit elsewhere.

2. Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)

Many nursery crops, greenhouse crops, liners, plugs, specialty ornamentals, and floriculture crops are not fully covered under traditional federal crop insurance. Those operations may instead rely on NAP coverage.

NAP can provide assistance for:

• Crop losses
• Inventory losses
• Prevented planting losses caused by natural disasters such as freeze events

Eligible “noninsured” crops specifically include many specialty horticulture crops.

Important note:

• Producers generally must have purchased NAP coverage before the crop year to receive payments.
• Some buy-up coverage options may provide higher compensation levels.

3. Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP)

USDA’s SDRP has become increasingly important for specialty crop and nursery operations.

Recent USDA guidance specifically notes that SDRP can cover:

• Nursery inventory losses
• Perennial plant losses
• Uninsured specialty crop losses
• Tree, bush, and vine losses

This is especially significant for:

• Wholesale nurseries
• Greenhouses growing perennial stock
• Ornamental tree growers
• Container nursery operations

The program was expanded because many nursery and perennial crops do not fit traditional crop insurance models.

4. Tree Assistance Program (TAP)

Nursery growers producing woody ornamentals, shade trees, fruit trees, or other perennial stock may qualify for TAP assistance if plants were killed or seriously damaged.

TAP can help pay for:

• Replanting
• Rehabilitation
• Salvage costs for eligible trees, bushes, and vines

While TAP is commonly associated with orchards and vineyards, certain nursery-grown perennial stock may qualify depending on the production system and documented losses.

5. Physical Loss Loans

If greenhouses, hoop houses, irrigation systems, or other farm infrastructure suffered physical damage related to freeze conditions, FSA physical loss loans may help repair or replace:

• Structures
• Equipment
• Fixtures
• Stored crops
• Perennial plants

Important limitation for greenhouse operators

Covered structures themselves are often treated differently from crop losses:

• Crop inventory losses may qualify under NAP or SDRP
• Structural damage may require separate documentation
• Insurance coverage coordination matters

Operations with good production records, inventory documentation, and photos of damage will generally have stronger claims.

What nursery and greenhouse operators should do now

USDA and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture are encouraging affected growers to:

1. Contact their local FSA office immediately
2. Notify crop insurance or NAP providers promptly
3. Document losses with photos and production records
4. Preserve damaged plant material where possible
5. Track all recovery expenses

For Pennsylvania’s nursery and greenhouse industry, the biggest opportunities are likely:

• Emergency operating loans
• NAP claims
• SDRP assistance for uninsured nursery inventory and perennial losses
• TAP for woody plant losses

The exact eligibility will depend heavily on:

• Whether the operation carried crop insurance or NAP coverage
• The type of crop grown
• Whether losses were production, quality, or plant mortality losses
• The county designation status under the disaster declaration.