NY launches $30 million tariff relief program for agricultural producers

Program will provide direct payments of a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $25,000

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the release of the $30 million Agricultural Resiliency Against Tariffs Program for New York agricultural producers.

The program, first announced in the Governor’s 2026 State of the State address, will help offset rising costs and market loss that New York farmers faced in 2025 because of federal tariff policy. Applications for dairy, livestock, specialty crop and aquaculture producers are now available here.

“The tariffs imposed by the Trump administration are reckless and damaging to so many of our industries, including our agricultural producers, who rely so heavily on the forces of international markets.” Governor Hochul said. “I promised to stand up and fight for our farmers and I’m proud that our Agricultural Resiliency Against Tariffs Program will provide the much-needed relief to New York’s farmers who feed our communities.”

The deadline to apply for the Tariff Relief Program is Tuesday, August 11, 2026. Only complete applications will be considered for payment. The application and detailed instructions on how to apply, including a webinar, are available on the Department’s webpage at https://agriculture.ny.gov/agricultural-resiliency-against-tariffs-program. Farmers are encouraged to begin the application process early to ensure all parts are completed and submitted by the deadline.

New York Farm Bureau President, David Fisher said, “Farmers of many different commodities have been faced with significant tariffs, which have sometimes been staggeringly difficult to manage. As we all know, farmers already operate on razor-thin margins, so we welcome any kind of relief program and appreciate the Governor’s efforts to help alleviate some of the pain points farmers have been experiencing.”

With an estimated 20 percent of a farmer’s income on average dependent on export markets of their product, the federal tariffs instituted in 2025 and resulting market instability are creating economic hardship for New York’s agricultural producers. In addition, farmers are facing the escalating costs imposed by tariffs on essential imports like grain, feed and other inputs. Over 80 percent of agrochemical imports and 70 percent of farm machinery imports originate from countries that were subjected to U.S. tariffs, making it difficult for farmers to secure alternative sources.

While the broader financial impact of tariffs on New York agricultural producers is still being calculated, many commodities have already reported financial burdens. For example, New York’s wine industry, which is the third largest in the nation, supports tens of thousands of jobs and New York’s grape growers, has seen significant impacts. Canada is the largest market for U.S. wine exports, including New York, and last year New York exports to this bordering country were down 77 percent, a major market loss at a time when the U.S. wine exports decreased 33 percent overall.

The Governor’s tariff relief program will provide direct payments of a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $25,000 to eligible producers. Distribution of funds will be determined through two tracks:

Track 1: Cow Dairy Farms

Track 2: Livestock, Livestock Products, Specialty Crops, Aquaculture

Eligible applicants must fill out a general application, provide agricultural sales or milk production data and meet specific criteria, including:

• Applicants must have at least two-thirds of federal gross income in excess of $30,000 derived from agricultural activities, as defined by New York State Tax Law.
• Applicants must produce eligible crops within New York State.
• Eligibility and production data must be certified by a qualified financial professional.
• All applicants must provide a complete substitute W-9 form, necessary for payment.
• Dairy farm applicants must sign a records release form, allowing confirmation of milk production data.

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “Farmers get hit by tariffs on both the export and import side, losing market opportunities while also facing rising costs of things like grain, equipment and fertilizer. I thank the Governor for continuing to advocate for and stand by our agricultural industry. This program will ensure that the producers impacted by tariffs will receive some level of relief to help offset these new expenses and safeguard their operation.”

NYS Horticultural Society Executive Director Jim Bittner said, “New York State is the number 2 producer of apples in the country. About 30 percent of the apples grown in the US need to be exported in order to have returns back to growers at a profitable level. When the US imposes tariffs on other countries, one of the first things those countries target is apples from the US. New York apple growers are the ones hurt by those tariffs on our apples. We are also hurt by the tariffs the US applies to inputs we use on our farms to produce those great local apples. The specialty equipment and the parts to repair them as well as the fertilizers we use are mostly imported and have increased in price to us because of the tariffs. Between lower prices for the apples we produce and paying more for many of our major inputs, we need help to mitigate these influences. The last two years of tariffs have been especially harmful. Agriculture is the bedrock of our economy. We want to be able to continue to grow high quality apples for New York residents.”

NYS Vegetable Growers Association President Brian Reeves said, “There is an old saying that farmers are the only ones who buy at retail and sell at wholesale. While this is not always the case, the tariff activity has raised the cost of many inputs, which are partly or in whole imported. Relief from the increased costs can only help farmers’ bottom line.”