Agency and other officials seeking damage information from farmers after cold weather event last week
May 23, 2023 | Montpelier, VT – Widespread frost across Vermont last week is suspected to have severely damaged thousands of acres of crops in Vermont and across the region. Temperatures dropped below freezing in many areas for a sustained time causing early spring crops to freeze. According to the US National Weather Service in Burlington, many below freezing temperatures were recorded overnight May 17th into the early morning hours of May 18th, including a record low of 25 degrees Fahrenheit in Montpelier while Burlington tied its record low of 28 degrees.
“The losses caused by the late Spring frost is heartbreaking for those who produce fruits, produce, berries and wine,” said Anson Tebbetts, Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. “The hard freeze will mean significant losses for our growers and those who make their living off fruits and vegetables. The extent of the damage may not be known for several weeks but early indications are discouraging.”
The owners and operators of Shelburne Vineyard in Shelburne gave a tour of some of the damage to officials on Monday, highlighting that although some damage is obvious now, other impacts are a wait-and-see process.
“We know and can see that we have significant damage to the vines now, but what we don’t know is whether there’s damage we can’t see to the vines that would help us recover next year if they aren’t affected,” said Ethan Joseph, Head of Vineyard and Winery Operations at Shelburne Vineyard. “It’s a real concern and we know other farmers are facing similar questions.”
Kendra Knapik, President of the Vermont Grape and Wine Council said: “This was a rough week for Vermont vineyards. The frost and plummeting temperatures Wednesday night caused at least 50% of primary bud loss in many Vermont vineyards throughout the state. We will need to wait and see how this event will impact the industry statewide, but with so many farmers being affected it’s likely to have deleterious economic ramifications for many of these small businesses,” Knapik said. ”This is a setback we will overcome, but it is a harsh reminder that we are at the whim of Mother Nature, and there are some parts of farming we cannot control. Most vineyards in Vermont do not have frost mitigation infrastructure like wind turbines and the tools to light vineyard-wide fires that many more established vineyards outside of Vermont had to soften the damage.”
The University of Vermont (UVM) Extension service is working with farmers and producers across the state to understand the scope of the damage. Additionally, the Congressional delegation in Vermont is also working with farmers and the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets on the scope of this event.
“In my 25 years of working with fruit crops in Vermont, I have never seen frost or freeze damage this extensive. The widespread nature of this event is unprecedented, and has affected orchards and vineyards across the state,” said Terence Bradshaw, Associate Professor at the UVM Extension Fruit Program. “My team is systematically collecting damage data across the region to help inform next steps to respond to this event. We expect a difficult season for growers and appreciate the continued support that our community provides to these vital operations that are so important to the Vermont agriculture community.”
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) provides crop protection for weather related losses in certain circumstances.
“FSA understands the impact this weather event has had on Vermont growers,” said John Roberts, VT FSA State Executive Director. “Our county office staff are available to discuss losses experienced and help growers seek potential program benefits to offset those losses. Any impacted farmer in our region is encouraged to report their losses through their local Farm Services Office.”
It is unclear whether those who sustained losses will be eligible for financial relief assistance but it’s important to document and report any damages as soon as possible. To find your local Vermont FSA County Office, click here.
To access a Dropbox folder containing more imagery of Shelburne Vineyard, including drone video, click here.
Attached Images: Damage to grape vines at Shelburne Vineyard.