New York apple farms face downpour of challenges as climate change threatens billion-dollar industry
At Stuart’s Fruit Farm, for instance, dangerous and muddy conditions meant hay rides were parked and the corn mazes did not open.
The business of letting visitors pick their own produce usually drives the farm’s annual profits, but this has been the toughest fall in its 51 years of operation, according to owner Bob Stuart.
The bakery on the farm, run by Mr Stuart’s daughter and son-in-law, is also not making the usual amount of sales.
“As farmers, we have to adapt. I’ve been doing it all my life and Mother Nature’s not going to beat me,” Mr Stuart told CNA.
“When I retire, it’s because I want to, not because I have to.”
KEY PART OF NEW YORK ECONOMY
The evolving weather patterns due to climate change are threatening the survival of New York’s apple producing sector.
The industry is an important part of New York’s economy, as the state is the second-largest apple producer in the country, behind only Washington.
Source: CNA
