Regional CEs Urge Federal Government to Declare Disaster Designation
Published on June 03, 2026
Ulster, Dutchess, and Orange County Executives Urge Federal Government to Declare Disaster Designation for Hudson Valley Farmers
KINGSTON, NY - Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger, Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino, and Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus are jointly urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to approve Governor Kathy Hochul’s request for a federal Secretarial Disaster Designation following catastrophic crop losses suffered by farmers across the Hudson Valley and other regions of the state.
In a letter sent today to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, the County Executives urged immediate federal action to support fruit, vegetable, and specialty-crop growers who experienced widespread damage from extreme weather in April. The full letter is attached to this release. If approved, the Secretarial Disaster Designation would allow eligible farmers to access USDA low-interest emergency loans and other forms of relief.
The region is seeing devastating losses to this year’s crop as a result of an unprecedented sequence of weather extremes: Record-high temperatures in the 80s and 90s triggered early blooming across multiple fruit species, followed by a sudden hard freeze that plunged temperatures into the low 20s and damaged flower bud development, wiping out a substantial portion of the year’s harvest.
Ulster, Dutchess, and Orange Counties are among the largest producers of apples (Ulster County ranks second in the state), and important producers of other affected crops, including pears, cherries, and other stone fruit, grapes, strawberries, and onions. Farms lost as much as 90 percent of this year’s crops, creating financial hardship for their businesses, families, and workers. According to state and local assessments, growers across the Hudson Valley, Capital Region, Central New York, Southern Tier, and Western New York have reported more than $30 million in crop losses.
“The freeze in April came at one of the most vulnerable moments in the growing season and was devastating for our farms, particularly for our orchards and vineyards, with losses of as much as 90% of the crop for some farms,” said Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. “In touring several farms afterward, I saw firsthand the extent of the damage and heard directly from growers who are deeply concerned about the financial impact to their businesses, their workers, and their families. Our agricultural sector is essential to our food security and our local economy, and our farmers cannot shoulder these losses alone. We ask USDA to act swiftly on New York State’s request for a Secretarial Disaster Designation so our growers can access the support they urgently need. I want to thank Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino and Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus for their partnership in advocating for the federal assistance our farmers need to recover.”
“In the Hudson Valley, local farms are the backbone of our economy and our communities,” said Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino. “This year, many of our farmers are facing hardships due to crop loss resulting from erratic weather patterns this past April. Today, I’m proud to join my fellow county executives from across the region in a bi-partisan manner to call on the USDA to grant New York State’s request for a Secretarial Disaster Declaration. This action is an imperative piece to help our local farms recover from this weather-related disaster and provide access to funds to offset the tremendous economic damage incurred. This is the right thing to do, and I call on the federal government to act swiftly to assist our local farmers.”
“Sadly, the number of working farms in our region is dwindling. Federal, state, and local partners must work together to support those farms still in operation to continue to be viable and sustainable for the long term,” said Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus. “The funds provided through a Secretarial Disaster Designation would be a significant help to these hard-working families.”
Ulster, Dutchess, and Orange Counties are among New York’s largest producers of apples, and other fruit crops, supporting local jobs, cideries and wineries, tourism, and regional food supply chains. The County Executives stressed that swift federal action is necessary to protect the viability of these farms and the rural economies that depend on them.
The County Executives’ full letter to Secretary Rollins is attached.