`90% loss of their crops`: Experts speak on crop loss impact after state of emergency declared

Added: 2026-05-18

[00:00:00]And Governor Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency for crop loss after a hard freeze in late April. Governor Cox says areas affected by the freeze lost up to 100% of tree fruit like apricots, peaches, and apples. The emergency declaration will allow farmers to use resources from both the state and national departments of agriculture for the next 30 days. The Utah Department of Agriculture says this is the worst fruit loss in decades. We've been told this this level of losses is really unprecedented. Like more than 20 years they haven't seen something this bad.

[00:00:35]Yeah, it's a big deal. The UDA also says our warm winter and early spring played into this disaster because many crops bloomed early before being slapped by that snap streak of bitter cold.

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