Agriculture Sector Awareness and Important Updates

The Department works closely with state and federal partners to keep New York’s agricultural community informed about disasters and emergencies that may affect them.

In partnership with the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program (NYSIPM), NYS Mesonet is the nation’s most advanced and largest early warning weather detection network, designed to provide meteorological data, products and services that help save lives and property while building a smart weather economy. Learn more at https://nysmesonet.org/.

Each of the Mesonet’s standard 127 stations, including 50 located at farms, orchards or vineyards, are equipped with automated sensors that measure weather information in real-time, such as temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, pressure, precipitation, solar radiation, snow depth and soil information. The sites also have cameras that photograph current conditions.  

Producer in New York State? Need highly localized, high-quality and comprehensive data & information? Request your own data from NYS Mesonet here: https://nysmesonet.org/about/data     

This booklet is provided to inform the agricultural community about protective actions that may need to be taken if a radiological emergency occurs at a nuclear power plant within New York, or in a neighboring state or province. This booklet also contains information on how you would be notified and what procedures you may be asked to follow.

New York State and local officials have developed emergency response plans to support and serve the agricultural community in the event of a nuclear power plant emergency. This booklet is intended for farmers, agricultural workers, livestock and poultry owners, fruit and vegetable growers, gardeners, food producers, processors, and distributors.

If you are a farmer within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant, actions may be necessary to protect food, feed, water, and livestock in the event of a nuclear power plant emergency. Following a release of radioactive gases and particles, State agencies will send teams to collect samples and conduct tests to determine if contamination occurred. If food and water become contaminated, some protective actions will be necessary. Information and instructions will be provided by local, state, and federal officials through press releases and press briefings.

Visit the DPC website here.

In late April 2024, the Department issued a crop loss determination to assist grape farmers impacted by the frost/freeze event in late April. The designation will allow duly licensed farm wineries to manufacture or sell wine produced from grapes grown outside of New York State.

Learn more