The U.S. Department of Agriculture designated the county part of a disaster area on July 16, giving farmers the opportunity to recoup funds they may have lost from a frost during the second week of May.
Warren County Penn State Agricultural Extension Office Dairy Agent George Wilcox said the frost mostly affected fruit crops. While Chautauqua County, N.Y. and Erie County had frost damage, he said the department includes surrounding counties like Warren.
Warren County's major crops like soybeans and corn went unharmed, Wilcox said, as they remain more resilient to frost than grapes and peaches. Still, he said some county farmers may claim damage for sweet corn or strawberries.
Warren County Farm Bureau President Mark Lawson said he didn't think the frost affected crops in the county. Farmers must prove a loss in order to receive aid, he said.
According to Lawson, Wenzel's Hatch Patch Owner Scott Wenzel expressed concern about his strawberries. Wenzel could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon.
Wilcox said the department has included neighboring counties in its disaster designations for as long as he can remember. It helps provide relief to areas which may not otherwise reach the required threshold of 30 percent crop loss county wide, he said.
"Areas on the edge of a drought or flood could have significant damage," Wilcox said. "That's the reason for it."
The department does not differentiate between types of disasters when making a declaration, Wilcox said.
If the government appropriates money at a later date, Wilcox said farmers could receive payments. In the meantime, he said farmers can file claims indicating they suffered a loss.
The government sets aside some money every year for disasters, Wilcox said. In the past, he said farmers had reasonable assurance they would receive some money.
"I'm hedging now because finances are tight," Wilcox said. "I'm not going to personally promise anybody will get paid."
The amount of payment depends on losses suffered, Wilcox said, with a farmer losing 60 percent of a crop receiving more than someone losing 30 percent. He said the department multiplies a percentage of a product's market price at the time of the loss by the amount of loss to arrive at the payment.
U.S. Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-3) said in a statement anybody in the county wishing to file a claim should contact the Pennsylvania State Farm Insurance Agency Clarion County Office at 226-8160.