Strawberries
New York State ranks 8th in the nation in strawberry production. Statewide there are over 1700 acres in production yielding 3.6 million pounds with a cash value of nearly 8.5 million dollars. The vast majority of the crop is sold from late May into early July as part of the June bearing crop that is grown in a perennial matted row system. This crop has a significant emotional bond with consumers. Strawberries have long been the first locally grown crop of the season. Picking strawberries is one of the most popular agricultural activities in upstate NY with most communities hosting delicious strawberry festivals. Ninety-five percent of the crop is sold this way, often picked by customers and always for immediate fresh consumption. The remaining 5% of the crop is used for value-added processing.With the advent of ever-bearing (also called day neutral) varieties many strawberry farmers have been able to offer NY consumers high quality, locally grown fresh strawberries later in the season - from August to November. Other production innovations include growing on plastic mulch to help reduce herbicide inputs and growing strawberries in high tunnels to lower the incidence of botrytis gray mold and other pests.
For more information about strawberry production, visit the Cornell Fruit Resources: Berries.
Relevant Events
The Past, the Present, and the Future of PACMAN Webinar
January 12, 2026
2026 Cornell Winter Fruit Webinars
January 22, 2026 : Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield
January 29, 2026 : Cost of Production for Fruit Crops
February 12, 2026 : Fire Blight Management Updates
February 19, 2026 : Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides - Can We Strike the Right Balance?
March 12, 2026 : Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi
March 19, 2026 : St. Peachtrick's Day - Cherry Pruning Strategies and Plum Varieties for the Northeast
NY Berry Pest Monitoring Network
Last Modified: June 20, 2025
Cornell IPM offers a number of resources for berry pest, including the NY Berry Pest Monitoring Network.
Disease Management in Stone Fruit and Strawberries
Last Modified: October 23, 2024
Agriculturally Significant Fruit Fly Resources & Quick Guides - SWD & ECFF
Last Modified: May 22, 2024
Now available guides and links for European cherry fruit fly (ECFF) & spotted wing drosophila (SWD).
Cornell Fruit Resources Blog Updates
Last Modified: July 10, 2020
Lake Ontario Fruit Webinar Recording & Video Links
Last Modified: July 10, 2020
Pollinator Resources
Last Modified: May 31, 2019
DEC Registered Pesticides for New York
Last Modified: January 30, 2017
This the the link to access the the NYDEC pesticide registrations. Access labels here.
Bureau of Pest Management - Information Portal - http://www.dec.ny.gov/nyspad/products?13Did You Experience Drought Issues on Your Farm?
Last Modified: January 23, 2017
Did You Experience Drought Issues on Your Farm?
Please Help Us Collect Regional Information So We Can Help You Be Better Prepared in the Future
As you know, the summer of 2016 was a period of lower than average rainfall combined with higher than average temperatures that led to a drought of moderate to unprecedented severity in New York and much of the Northeast
A 2016 NY drought survey is being conducted and we need your input.
Please click on details for more information.
Niagara Co. Vegetable & Small Fruit Grower Meeting Presentations
Last Modified: March 7, 2016
Small fruit presentations from the Tuesday March 1, 2016 Vegetable & Small Fruit Grower Meeting in Niagara Co.
Revisions in EPA WPS comment period open until Dec. 23, 2015
Deborah Breth, Integrated Pest Management
Lake Ontario Fruit Program
Last Modified: November 13, 2015
EPA is finalizing changes to the WPS. The WPS is a regulation primarily intended to reduce the risks of injury or illness resulting from agricultural workers' and handlers' use and contact with pesticides on farms, forests, nurseries and greenhouses. The rule primarily seeks to protect workers (those who perform hand-labor tasks in pesticide-treated crops, such as harvesting, thinning, pruning) and handlers (those who mix, load and apply pesticides). The rule does not cover persons working with livestock. The existing regulation has provisions requiring employers to provide workers and handlers with pesticide safety training, posting and notification of treated areas, and information on entry restrictions, as well as PPE for workers who enter treated areas after pesticide application to perform crop-related tasks and handlers who mix, load, and apply pesticides. The full content if you want to review and comment can be found at http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0184-2510.
A summary chart of major cahnges between the new revisions and the current standard can be found here.
http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-09/documents/comparison-chart-wps.pdf
Spotted Wing Drosophila
Last Modified: June 3, 2014
Spotted Wing Drosophila has become an issue in berry crops around NYS. More information on trapping and monitoring this pest are included in the following PDFs.
Produce Handling for Direct Marketing
Craig Kahlke, Team Leader, Fruit Quality Management
Lake Ontario Fruit Program
Last Modified: January 13, 2014
NRAES-51, Successful direct marketing of fresh fruits and vegetables depends on providing quality items in a clean and customer-friendly environment. This publication is valuable for growers who sell seasonal produce at local farmers' markets or roadside markets. It describes postharvest physiology, food safety, produce handling from harvest to storage, refrigerated storage, produce displays, and specific handling and display recommendations for over forty types of fruits and vegetables. Eleven tables and eight figures are included. (1992)
Successful direct marketing of fresh fruits and vegetables depends on providing quality items in a clean and customer-friendly environment. Produce Handling for Direct Marketing, NRAES-51, is an invaluable guide for the grower who sells seasonal produce at local farmers' markets or roadside markets.
The Commercial Storage of Fruits, Vegetables, and Florist and Nursery Stocks
Craig Kahlke, Team Leader, Fruit Quality Management
Lake Ontario Fruit Program
Last Modified: January 13, 2014
The information contained in this preliminary version of HB-66 has been assembled from information prepared by nearly 100 authors from around the world. The version posted here is a revised copy of a Draft made available online in November 2002 for author and public review and comment.
Animals in Fruit Crops
Last Modified: January 8, 2014
Orchards and other fruit crops are great habitat for many animals for food, and shelter. Deer, voles, rabbits, wild turkeys, and beavers, have caused damage to trees, bushes and fruit resulting in serious economic losses. Animals also pose a challenge for growers who participate in Food Safety audits to prevent contamination of fruit at harvest time. Growers must take steps to manage animals in fruit crops. P. D. Curtis prepares and updates the Wildlife Damage Management Chapter in the Cornell Pest Management Guidelines for tree Fruit and also for Berries.
Brief Overview of Labor Regulations & Recordkeeping for Farm Businesses
Matthew Wells, Production Economics & Business Management
Lake Ontario Fruit Program
Last Modified: July 31, 2013
This document provides a brief overview of state & federal labor regulations that apply to many fruit farms in N.Y.S., as well as examples of record keeping forms that assist growers in meeting these regulations.
Spotted Winged Drosophila found locally and throughout New York and New England
Laura McDermott, Team Leader, Small Fruit and Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Last Modified: August 7, 2012
In light of these findings, blueberry, summer and fall raspberry and day-neutral strawberry growers are urged to be vigilant about this pest.
Apples
Apricots
Asian Pears
Blueberries
Cherries
Currants
Gooseberries
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Raspberries / Blackberries
Strawberries
Unusual Fruit
Upcoming Events
2026 Dyson Agricultural Food
January 12, 2026
Ithaca, NY
The Past, the Present, and the Future of PACMAN Webinar
January 12, 2026
Join nationally recognized scientists and extension specialists for a nationwide PACMAN webinar presenting five years of research findings and outlining emerging directions and collaborative opportunities for the next phase of the project.
2026 Cornell Winter Fruit Webinars
January 22, 2026 : Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield
Week 1: Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield
January 29, 2026 : Cost of Production for Fruit Crops
Week 2: Cost of Production for Fruit Crops - A new tool for tree fruit, updates on berry production in NY, and strategies for tracking and using expense data.
February 12, 2026 : Fire Blight Management Updates
Week 3: Fire Blight Management Updates - Pathogen Biology, Defense Inducers, Biopesticides, and Pruning Therapies
February 19, 2026 : Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides - Can We Strike the Right Balance?
Week 4: Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides - Can We Strike the Right Balance?
March 12, 2026 : Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi
Week 5: Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi
March 19, 2026 : St. Peachtrick's Day - Cherry Pruning Strategies and Plum Varieties for the Northeast
Week 6: St. Peachtrick's Day - Cherry Pruning Strategies and Plum Varieties for the Northeast