Governor Andrew Cuomo is considering a request from state Sen. Patty Ritchie for help for farmers whose crops could be in jeopardy due to killing frosts.

The cold snap has resulted in damage to some crops, mainly fruit, in some regions where early warm spells had trees blossoming earlier than usual.

Ritchie, chair of the Senate’s Agriculture Committee, is asking the governor to request a federal disaster declaration for impacted farmers, which include apple, grape and other fruit producers across upstate.

Most severely impacted have been the apple growing regions of Central and Western New York, and the grape growers along the Great Lakes, but also in Northern New York, according to Ritchie.

“My office has been in contact with Commissioner Aubertine’s office, James Barber, Executive Director of the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, and NY Farm Bureau, and it is clear that the preliminary damage assessments indicate that this may be one of the worst statewide, multi-crop losses we have ever witnessed here in New York,” Ritchie said.

She asked the governor to contact U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to request the declaration, which would set in motion a series of relief measures including low-interest loans and payments for damaged crops.

Ritchie said that 80 degree weather in March caused many fruit trees and vines to bud far earlier than usual, making them especially vulnerable to frosts over the past few weeks.

“While many of us welcomed the early start to spring and summer, I heard from farmers across Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties, as well as throughout the state, that they had serious concerns about the weather’s impact on their crops,” Ritchie said.

“Unfortunately, in many cases, their worst fears are now being realized as some producers are seeing crop losses that could reach 100 percent.”

Ritchie, a Republican from Heuvelton, represents the 48th Senate District, which includes roughly the western half of St. Lawrence County.