Hudson Valley Farmers Pivot with Environmental Challenges
In the United States, California is a behemoth producer of wine, approximately 85% of all bottled in the US. Outside of California there are only a few others that take a share of notable percentage with Washington state in second and our own New York State in third place. The Hudson Valley alone has approximately 60 wineries throughout its fertile and picturesque landscape, but concerns of climate change and invasive species stare these businesses in the face and wallet.
What are local farmers, growers and vineyards doing now as they face the effects of unpredictable rains, droughts, heat and invasive pests? Jennifer Fimbel, Interim Agriculture/Horticulture Program Leader and Ag Navigator explains, “…farmers are really good about understanding weather and weather patterns. So with wet fields, it rained a lot here in the Hudson Valley last year, they may not get to a field that they normally would.”
Farmers adjust their schedules as much as possible to get the greatest yield on whatever they’re growing is pivotal for their success and livelihood. During a dry season many farmers use shorter season seeds so that it matures quicker and can be harvested before it could wither. In addition, farmers are also doing what is called “conservative tilling” which involves planting crops in a way to lessen soil erosion.
The success of their crops depends on predicting each year’s weather pattern and with that becoming more temperamental, farmers have faced many problems during harvesting season. “We had a bunch of droughty type summers, so to get ahead farmers try to have a harvest in the end of May or June but then not be able to until September,” Fimbel said, “and now with the wet weather, it’s even harder because they can’t get out there to harvest it…by the time you do, it is either marshed over, and it’s very difficult to manage, too long or it’s past track.” Farmers by their nature are nimble to what is thrown their way, whether they are corn, hay, or grape.
Since farmers have become more mindful with these changes, “the quality and the yields actually increase because the farmers have to do more with less.” During the pandemic, due to soaring fertilizer prices, farmers would only grow crops on the most fertile soil they had that year so as to maximize the little fertilizer they had. In doing so, those fields flourish with so much time being focused on a smaller area.
Vignerons [grape cultivators and winemakers] are now developing and growing what are known as hybrid grapes that are, “bred to be cold-hardy, fungus disease and pest resistant, and very productive. Cornell University and the University of Minnesota have breeding programs that focus exclusively on hybrid grapes and have created thousands of new varieties which are available today.”
It is not simply the weather that is causing havoc for the Vignerons but also the pests. Species such as the spongy moths, spotted lanternflies, and new this year, the cicadas are all a concern for local farmers. “So Lanternflies here in Dutchess County are not at a huge population…yet,” Fimbel said, “but the grape growers are becoming ever more concerned about spotted lantern flies.” Spotted lanternflies feed on many fruits, such as apples, cherries, and hops but their favorite are grapes, which if left unchecked could devastate the entire region. To combat this the Cornell Cooperative, lead by Fimbel, has partnered with a small group of young volunteers and is teaching them how to use “lanternfly sniffing dogs” to locate egg masses for destruction. Cicadas are still the “wild card” for many farmers as it entirely depends on when they will hatch and where. They are not known to be direct threats to crops but the amount that could appear this year would become a nuisance to the farmers working in the fields.
Climate change, at this point, is no surprise to Vignerons and steps such as filing with the Farm Service Agency — which is part of USDA — for crop insurance may help ensure their continued prosperity, although Fimbel notes, “that’s not going to necessarily pay the bills.” Farmers are a resilient people and have for years continued to survive all types of challenges, but with climate change throwing unpredictable curve balls, time will tell if the regions prosperity will last.
