With the New York State Farm Service Agency officially requesting a federal Agriculture Disaster Designation following the cold spell that damaged vineyards and orchards across the upstate region in May, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand are calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to quickly approve emergency federal funds for 31 counties. Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties are among the counties included in the request. The extreme cold weather destroyed thousands of acres of grapes, apples, strawberries, blueberries and other fruits. Schumer says that with the harvest season just beginning, it's vital that USDA provide relief to farmers who suffered severe crop loss.
