Hail decimates New York apple crop
Hail decimates New York apple crop
A devastating hailstorm that tore across New York state Monday, June 16, could reduce the state's apple crop by as much as 60 percent.
"The storm swept across western New York," Jim Allen, president of the New York Apple Association in Fishers, NY, told The Produce News. "It moved from east of Buffalo across the main fruit belt area and hit south of Syracuse and the Hudson Valley. It was like the storm had radar for apples."
Mr. Allen said that just two of the state's six apple-producing regions escaped damage. "We just lost a big part of our supply," he said. "We still have apples, but it's too early to know the total loss. We are heading into our first meetings today, and should have loss and damage assessments from growers in a day or two."
Phil Wagner, who has an orchard in Wayne County, the second-largest apple-producing county in the United States, on which he grows apples, cherries and peaches, said that all his crops took a heavy hit in the storm. In a live broadcast on "News 10 Now," Mr. Wagner was brought to tears as he told a reporter, "It is bad for a lot of guys. Maybe we can salvage some of the damaged apples by selling them for processing."
Mr. Wagner noted that peach and cherry crops are only two weeks away from harvesting. He estimated he lost about 75 percent of his cherry and peach crops and about a third of his apple crop. He said that it is common knowledge among farmers that one bad year could take up to five years to recoup financially.
Mr. Allen also was interviewed on the broadcast and told the reporter, "We're not hearing anything good. This could be very, very devastating. When you get losses like or damage like this, you just can't replace them."
The hail fell in waves across the state in chunks rather than typical balls, as if the ice was chopped off huge blocks and hurled through the air.
Mr. Wagner and other growers plan go to officials to ask that the region be declared a disaster area. Patrick Hooker, commissioner of the New York state Department of Agriculture & Markets, traveled to Wayne County June 18 to view the damage.
The storm caused electrical outages to more than 2,500 homes and businesses. It knocked down trees and power lines. Prior to the storm, the National Weather Service issued severe thunderstorm warnings around the state. Forecasters said winds could top 60 mph and predicted possible hail as big as nickels.
"The storm swept across western New York," Jim Allen, president of the New York Apple Association in Fishers, NY, told The Produce News. "It moved from east of Buffalo across the main fruit belt area and hit south of Syracuse and the Hudson Valley. It was like the storm had radar for apples."
Mr. Allen said that just two of the state's six apple-producing regions escaped damage. "We just lost a big part of our supply," he said. "We still have apples, but it's too early to know the total loss. We are heading into our first meetings today, and should have loss and damage assessments from growers in a day or two."
Phil Wagner, who has an orchard in Wayne County, the second-largest apple-producing county in the United States, on which he grows apples, cherries and peaches, said that all his crops took a heavy hit in the storm. In a live broadcast on "News 10 Now," Mr. Wagner was brought to tears as he told a reporter, "It is bad for a lot of guys. Maybe we can salvage some of the damaged apples by selling them for processing."
Mr. Wagner noted that peach and cherry crops are only two weeks away from harvesting. He estimated he lost about 75 percent of his cherry and peach crops and about a third of his apple crop. He said that it is common knowledge among farmers that one bad year could take up to five years to recoup financially.
Mr. Allen also was interviewed on the broadcast and told the reporter, "We're not hearing anything good. This could be very, very devastating. When you get losses like or damage like this, you just can't replace them."
The hail fell in waves across the state in chunks rather than typical balls, as if the ice was chopped off huge blocks and hurled through the air.
Mr. Wagner and other growers plan go to officials to ask that the region be declared a disaster area. Patrick Hooker, commissioner of the New York state Department of Agriculture & Markets, traveled to Wayne County June 18 to view the damage.
The storm caused electrical outages to more than 2,500 homes and businesses. It knocked down trees and power lines. Prior to the storm, the National Weather Service issued severe thunderstorm warnings around the state. Forecasters said winds could top 60 mph and predicted possible hail as big as nickels.
