This is pine pollen.  It can be really annoying because it coats cars and lawn furniture and pine cones. It is normal this time of year. It is necessary.  Only male cones exude this.  Females cones are smaller. What you are seeing is a normal phenomena.  Google “pine pollen” and there are lots of articles and videos that show this.

The new growth is called candles.  They vary from year to year.  Google “pine candles” and learn more.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-pine-tree-unleashes-huge-fluffy-pollen-cloud-180969048/

The needles that grow out of that area are shorter???

Are you asking about the seed pods?  The structures covered with the pollen?  They are normal.

New growth needles are smaller.  They stay on the tree for about two years.  Each year the terminal bud produces new growth through these “candles.”  You will see them elongate over time.

In general, thinking about trees, a disease will start in an area and spread.  A natural phenomena like this appears all at once over the entire tree.

Environmental factors are the likely cause.  These appear to be normal needles just smaller.  This is probably related to nutrition and moisture levels.  Below are three websites. The first is an explanation of how pine needles grow.  The second is a research article into why there are variations in normal pine needles.  If you have further concerns you may wish to have a tree care professional do an onsite inspection.  See website three.

1. https://sciencing.com/pine-needles-6455979.html

2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S<personal data hidden>02462

3. https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/how-hire-tree-care-professional