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You are the owner of this article. You have permission to edit this article. Sign up for our Farming e-Newsletter! — Federal and state officials met with Pennsylvania fruit growers Monday to discuss recovery from late April’s devastating freeze. Richard Fordyce, the USDA undersecretary for farm production and conservation, announced crop insurance providers will be able to finalize claims before final disposition of the crop on a case-by-base basis. “We are here to assist you as farmers across the country,” said Bill Beam, the USDA Farm Service Agency director and a Pennsylvania farmer. Rep. G.T. Thompson, R-Pa., chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, said the Farm Bill would improve the affordability of crop insurance. “You can get a return on your investment with the crop insurance you purchased,” he said during a roundtable with growers at Penn State’s Fruit Research and Extension Center. McCleaf has about 5% of a normal apple crop on the trees, and all the fruit is damaged.