Announces Additional Crop Loss Declaration, Lifting New York Ingredient Requirement and Allowing New York Farm Wineries to Temporarily Source Grapes or Juice from Outside of New York
Freeze/Frost Event in May 2023 Significantly Impacted New York Growers Across the State
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball today announced that 31 counties across New York State have been designated as a primary natural disaster area by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) following the late May frost/freeze event. These designations mean that impacted farmers in those areas may be eligible for assistance, including emergency loans, from the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). The Department requested the Disaster Designation from the USDA through a joint letter with other states that are a part of the Northeastern Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NEASDA).
Commissioner Ball said, “In the days following the unseasonable frost, we visited and spoke with a number of our growers across the State to understand the extent of the damage facing the industry. Many of them hadn’t seen frost conditions that late in the season in decades. We have been working with many partners since May to put together our request for a disaster declaration and to secure the assistance needed to help our growers overcome this challenging time.
Source: ny.gov
Photo Credit: istock-shironosov
Categories: New York, Crops, Government & Policy