Governor Hochul Secures USDA Disaster Declaration for 32 Counties for Growers Who Sustained Significant Crop Loss From Extreme Spring Weather

Apple, Stone Fruit and Grape Crops Impacted After Harsh Conditions Damage Fruit Buds; Estimated Loss for Growers Reporting To Date Is More Than $30 Million

Designation Allows Eligible Producers To Apply for Low-Interest Emergency Loans and Disaster Assistance

Governor Encourages Consumers To Support Local Growers

Governor Kathy Hochul announced that New York State has been granted a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretarial Disaster Designation for counties in the Finger Lakes, Mid-Hudson, Capital, Central New York, Long Island, Mohawk Valley, New York, North Country, Southern Tier, and the Western New York regions following extreme weather in the spring that significantly impacted many fruit operations, including apple, stone fruit, grape and strawberry growers. To date, producers that reported in these regions have experienced an estimated loss of more than $30 million. A Disaster Designation allows affected farmers to apply for USDA low-interest emergency loans. This designation was granted after a request for a disaster declaration by Governor Hochul on May 19, 2026.

“New York’s growers experienced significant damage early this year with some losing an entire growing season and reporting tens of millions in economic loss,” Governor Hochul said. “I would like to thank the USDA for taking this action to declare a disaster designation for the impacted counties and help our growers get the assistance they need to recover and move forward. I also encourage New Yorkers to continue to support their local growers, whether it’s by buying fresh local products from the farm or purchasing the many products made from New York’s growers.”

The following counties are included in the Disaster Designation for frost and freeze on April 7-8, 2026:

• Broome, Cortland and Tompkins

Also included are the contiguous counties of: Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Delaware, Madison, Onondaga, Schuyler, Seneca, and Tioga

The following counties are included in the Disaster Declaration for frost and freeze during April 19- 21, 2026:

• Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Columbia, Cortland, Dutchess, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Nassau, Niagara, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Oswego, Putnam, Rockland, Saratoga, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Suffolk, Tompkins, Ulster, Washington, Wayne, Westchester, and Yates.

Also included are the contiguous counties of: Albany, Allegany, Bronx, Chenango, Delaware, Erie, Essex, Genesee, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Oneida, Otsego, Queens, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Schoharie, Sullivan, Tioga and Warren.

The following counties are included for the Disaster Declaration for frost and freeze during May 11-12, 2026:

• Fulton, Montgomery, Onondaga, Otsego, and St. Lawrence

Also included are the contiguous counties of Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Franklin, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Oswego, Saratoga, Schenectady, and Schoharie.

The following counties are included in the Disaster Declaration for high winds and hail that occurred during May 13-14, 2026:

• Cayuga and Oswego

Also included are the contiguous counties of Cortland, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, Tompkins, and Wayne.

The following counties are included for the Disaster Declaration for excessive rain, flooding and flash flooding that occurred during March 31-April 1, 2026:

• Erie

Also included are the contiguous counties of Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee, Niagara and Wyoming.

A USDA disaster designation makes farm operators in primary counties and those counties contiguous eligible to be considered for emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency, provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the disaster declaration to apply for relief programs. Farmers can contact their local FSA office here: Find Your Local USDA Service Center. In addition, farmers can find additional resources, such as the FSA Disaster Assistance tool, which helps farmers determine FSA program eligibility, on the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets’ Emergency Management webpage: https://agriculture.ny.gov/emergency-management-partners-and-resources.

New York is a major specialty crop state. The apple, grape and stone fruit industries represent an important and large component of New York’s agricultural economy. New York ranks second in the country for apple production and third for grapes, for example. The apple industry alone generates $574 million in economic impact. These crops also play an important role in wholesale markets as well as retail and direct pick-your own sales.

Damage varies from county to county and a survey conducted by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets estimates that many growers are facing a wide range in losses — anywhere from 15 percent to 100 percent, with an estimated economic loss of more than $30 million to date.

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball, alongside several partner agricultural organizations, visited a number of impacted growers in the Hudson Valley region on May 7, 2026 to see firsthand the damage producers were facing.