The USDA will buy $20 million of surplus Concord grape juice to aid Lake Erie grape growers amid market declines, Rep. Langworthy and Sen. Schumer announce.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture will purchase $20 million worth of surplus Concord grape juice to help support growers in the Lake Erie grape belt, lawmakers announced.
Republican Rep. Nick Langworthy and Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced the federal intervention following months of calls from industry advocates for action to stabilize what they described as a rapidly deteriorating market.
The market downturn was exacerbated earlier this year when Refresco canceled contracts with grape growers across Western New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Other factors include declining grape juice consumption, elevated inventories and a large 2025 harvest.
The situation has affected nearly 130 growers across the region.
The USDA purchase is intended to help reduce excess supplies and provide relief to growers facing an increasingly difficult market.