A sudden climate shift wiped out a foundational part of the state’s economy overnight, and the fallout is growing.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is trying to help residents who were greatly impacted by April’s surprise frost.
Hochul Wants Disaster Designations For Hudson Valley, Capital Region, Central New York, Southern Tier, Western New York
Crops started to bloom in many parts of New York State in April, due to warmer-than-normal temperatures. That was followed by frost conditions in April 2026, which significantly impacted many fruit operations, including apple, stone fruit, grape, and strawberry growers.
Just before the expected frost, one local farmer told me he was hiring helicopters to save his peach crops…