Hochul seeks federal aid after frost damages Onondaga County crops

The April freeze that struck Onondaga County left fruit buds and shoots damaged just as trees and vines were waking up from an early bloom. Now New York is asking Washington for disaster aid, a move that could determine whether local growers can replace lost revenue before the summer farm stand season peaks.

Governor Kathy Hochul said New York sought a USDA Secretarial Disaster Designation on May 20 after freezing temperatures dipped below 23 degrees and damaged crops across multiple regions, including Central New York. In Onondaga County, the National Weather Service issued frost advisories in late April, a reminder that parts of the county can still see a last frost as late as April 20 to April 30. That timing mattered because warmer-than-normal temperatures had pushed blooms ahead of schedule, leaving tender fruit especially exposed.

State officials said producer losses had already topped $30 million by the time of the announcement, and some farms reported losing as much as 100% of a crop. The hardest-hit products were apples, grapes and stone fruit such as peaches, plums and cherries, along with pears, strawberries and early vegetables such as onions. For a county that depends on roadside stands, pick-your-own operations and small diversified farms, the damage could ripple beyond orchards and berry patches into the summer produce aisle.

The request covers counties across the Hudson Valley, Capital Region, Central New York, Southern Tier and Western New York. If USDA grants the designation, eligible producers could apply for low-interest emergency loans through the USDA Farm Service Agency, along with other disaster assistance. Farmers in contiguous counties may also qualify under USDA rules, widening the pool of growers who could seek help after the freeze.

Hochul said the state’s growers are facing a climate-driven pattern of temperature swings and urged USDA to act quickly. The stakes are high in New York, which ranks second in the nation for apple production and third for grapes. The apple industry alone generates $574 million in economic impact, so a bad frost year can travel quickly from the orchard to local markets, processors and agritourism businesses.

For Onondaga County residents, the most immediate effects may show up in shorter farm-stand shelves, slimmer U-pick offerings and higher prices for local fruit later this summer if supplies stay tight. The federal request was filed May 20, but growers still have to wait for USDA action before emergency loans and other aid can begin flowing, leaving many farms to bridge the gap on their own through the most important part of the growing season.