New York state growers expect a great season
New York state growers expect a great season
A hot and dry April, followed by a wet and cold May, and then finally a very hot and dry June have challenged New York state's growers so far this season, but when all is said and done, almost all expect to have great-quality crops.
"It has been a season of extremes, but overall crops are looking good," said Steve Reiners, an associate professor of horticultural sciences at Cornell University and a staff member at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, NY.
Larry Eckhardt, president of the New York State Vegetable Growers Association Inc., echoed Mr. Reiners' comments. "Crop-wise our members have said that the range of vegetables are doing very well, though some are not going to be early, Mr. Eckhardt said. "A lot of what got planted early isn't.
Mr. Eckhardt, who owns Kinderhook Creek Farm Inc. in Stephentown, NY, blamed this on the weather in May, which he said was one of the colder Mays on record. Though there were several killing frosts, the cool temperatures did make for great planting weather but also made it difficult to schedule plantings. That in turn caused challenges for some growers who had to harvest several plantings at the same time and then get them all to market, Mr. Eckhardt said.
These challenges are a welcome change for most growers, who for the past several years have had to deal with overly wet growing seasons, which made planting at all difficult.
"The main thing is that people are able to plant this spring as opposed to the past two, said Jeff Kubecka of Kubecka Farms in Kirkville, NY, and executive
secretary of the association. "It is really nice to see plants growing instead of muddy, rutted fields.
In the beginning of June, the state looked like it was going into a drought, but rains toward the latter part of the month helped ease those concerns, Mr. Reiners said. While most of the rains were beneficial, some spotty areas in western New York between Rochester and Buffalo and in the capital area north of Albany received too much rain at one time -- up to eight inches.
Though the cold in May held things back, Mr. Reiners said that the recent heat has also negatively affected some crops, such as peas, which may reduce their yield. That said, for the most part, the state's main crops are looking good. "Sweet corn is having a great year because it loves heat and it loves moisture, he said. "Cabbage is putting on a lot of growth and onions whose plantings were done early are not experiencing major problems. It is a little too early to tell about vine crops but so far things look good, as well.
According to Mr. Reiners, another benefit to this season's dry weather is that it has reduced disease. Unfortunately, snap and dry bean growers will still need to keep their guards up for soybean rust, a fungal plant disease that is currently affecting the southeast United States. The disease -- believed to have entered the country in Florida last year on the winds of Hurricane Ivan -- has since spread to several neighboring states and is capable of infecting legumes other than soybeans. "We are looking and monitoring its progress, Mr. Reiners said. "We know it's out there and hope it won't come.
Other items concerning growers this season include two perennial problems: the rising cost of petroleum and the availability of labor. Mr. Kubecka is concerned about the impact that both will have on the association's members.
"It has quite an effect, not only with the price increase of fuel but for fertilizers and even wax cardboard boxes, he said. "New York state's minimum wage has gone up this year from $5.15 to $6 and that is probably going to have an effect on our members as well.
Occupying nearly one-quarter of the state's land -- some 7.6 million acres -- and generating $3 billion in receipts makes agriculture one of the state's leading industries and the economic backbone for upstate New York.
According to the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets' most recent statistics, New York ranks sixth in the nation in fresh-market vegetable production and eighth in the nation in vegetables for processing.
(A full report on New York state produce appears in the July 11 issue of The Produce News.)
"It has been a season of extremes, but overall crops are looking good," said Steve Reiners, an associate professor of horticultural sciences at Cornell University and a staff member at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, NY.
Larry Eckhardt, president of the New York State Vegetable Growers Association Inc., echoed Mr. Reiners' comments. "Crop-wise our members have said that the range of vegetables are doing very well, though some are not going to be early, Mr. Eckhardt said. "A lot of what got planted early isn't.
Mr. Eckhardt, who owns Kinderhook Creek Farm Inc. in Stephentown, NY, blamed this on the weather in May, which he said was one of the colder Mays on record. Though there were several killing frosts, the cool temperatures did make for great planting weather but also made it difficult to schedule plantings. That in turn caused challenges for some growers who had to harvest several plantings at the same time and then get them all to market, Mr. Eckhardt said.
These challenges are a welcome change for most growers, who for the past several years have had to deal with overly wet growing seasons, which made planting at all difficult.
"The main thing is that people are able to plant this spring as opposed to the past two, said Jeff Kubecka of Kubecka Farms in Kirkville, NY, and executive
secretary of the association. "It is really nice to see plants growing instead of muddy, rutted fields.
In the beginning of June, the state looked like it was going into a drought, but rains toward the latter part of the month helped ease those concerns, Mr. Reiners said. While most of the rains were beneficial, some spotty areas in western New York between Rochester and Buffalo and in the capital area north of Albany received too much rain at one time -- up to eight inches.
Though the cold in May held things back, Mr. Reiners said that the recent heat has also negatively affected some crops, such as peas, which may reduce their yield. That said, for the most part, the state's main crops are looking good. "Sweet corn is having a great year because it loves heat and it loves moisture, he said. "Cabbage is putting on a lot of growth and onions whose plantings were done early are not experiencing major problems. It is a little too early to tell about vine crops but so far things look good, as well.
According to Mr. Reiners, another benefit to this season's dry weather is that it has reduced disease. Unfortunately, snap and dry bean growers will still need to keep their guards up for soybean rust, a fungal plant disease that is currently affecting the southeast United States. The disease -- believed to have entered the country in Florida last year on the winds of Hurricane Ivan -- has since spread to several neighboring states and is capable of infecting legumes other than soybeans. "We are looking and monitoring its progress, Mr. Reiners said. "We know it's out there and hope it won't come.
Other items concerning growers this season include two perennial problems: the rising cost of petroleum and the availability of labor. Mr. Kubecka is concerned about the impact that both will have on the association's members.
"It has quite an effect, not only with the price increase of fuel but for fertilizers and even wax cardboard boxes, he said. "New York state's minimum wage has gone up this year from $5.15 to $6 and that is probably going to have an effect on our members as well.
Occupying nearly one-quarter of the state's land -- some 7.6 million acres -- and generating $3 billion in receipts makes agriculture one of the state's leading industries and the economic backbone for upstate New York.
According to the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets' most recent statistics, New York ranks sixth in the nation in fresh-market vegetable production and eighth in the nation in vegetables for processing.
(A full report on New York state produce appears in the July 11 issue of The Produce News.)
