Farms

A federal grant funds the ‘AgriSafe Helpline’ effort.

While lanternflies can stress trees, it appears they only kill grapevines and tree of heaven, also an invasive species, directly by feeding on them.

“It flies as well, but it’s a weak flyer. So the main way it moves from place to place over long distances, is through human movement."

Treatments include “trap-trees” with a synthetic insecticide, a full-year applied pesticide, and treating any egg masses with a soybean-based product.

The compounds, known as Neonicotinoids, or “neonics,” have been widely used during the past 15 years in a pre-treatment for corn, soy and wheat seeds.

"98% of all farms in New York are family owned. I think in order to keep that number so high...the milk prices definitely need to go up."

"I think we’re having a good fair, it could be a little busier, but we’re having a good time, and we’re going to be okay."

“Some workers have worked like this for more than 20 years. They deserve time with their family. They deserve to rest. They deserve this extra time for them.”

There are strict orders in quarantine counties aimed at stopping the invasive pest’s spread westward or even between municipalities within a county.

"These are growing pains. And the people that can navigate the growing pains, both with patience, intelligence and capital, they could come out in the next 3-5 years being pretty successful."