Governor Kathy Hochul delivered a pointed warning Friday in Albany, calling out Washington Republicans for pushing policies she says could devastate the North Country’s economy, health care system, and food access programs.
At the center of Hochul’s concern are proposed federal budget cuts and ongoing trade tensions that she argues threaten regional jobs and services. She cited new tariffs and a breakdown in U.S.-Canada trade talks as immediate risks to the area’s tourism and agriculture—two of its most critical economic pillars.
“Between insulting our Canadian neighbors and largest trade partners to proposing deep budget cuts that threaten hospitals, food programs and working families, the North Country is being hit from all sides,” Hochul said.
Tourism-related businesses, which support roughly 20,000 jobs in the North Country, have already reported sharp declines in Canadian visitors. Bridge crossings over the Ogdensburg and Champlain bridges dropped nearly 30 percent in May, with 400,000 fewer Canadian tourists compared to the same period last year. According to a North Country Chamber of Commerce survey, 66 percent of businesses have reported a falloff in Canadian customers, with one in four considering layoffs.
Agriculture is also in the crosshairs. The region’s agribusiness sector supports over 8,600 jobs and contributes $1.1 billion to New York’s Gross Regional Product. Rising costs tied to tariffs on fertilizers and other supplies—many sourced from Canada—are placing additional strain on farmers. Hochul said some producers have seen monthly expenses spike by $10,000.
The proposed Republican-backed federal budget cuts would eliminate $13.5 billion from New York’s health care system, with $357 million in cuts projected just for the North Country. Hochul warned this would strip health coverage from 44,000 regional residents, shutter rural hospitals, and increase strain on emergency services. She added that one-third of the population in the region relies on Medicaid, which would face major reductions.
“These cuts would threaten the survival of rural hospitals and would lead to longer wait times, reduced services and premium hikes for thousands in the region,” the Governor’s office said in a statement.
SNAP benefits are also under threat. Nearly 90,000 North Country residents—one-third of them children—depend on the federal food assistance program. Hochul emphasized SNAP’s dual role in fighting hunger and supporting local economies, noting that every dollar spent through SNAP generates $1.54 in economic activity, often at local grocers and farmers markets.
Throughout her remarks, Hochul championed her administration’s investments in programs such as the Farm-to-School initiative, universal school meals, and expanded health coverage through the Essential Plan. She also touted the state’s inflation rebate and middle-class tax cuts, which she said will put an average of $5,000 back into the hands of New York families.
“If we can harness the power of all your voices, we’d only need to persuade one or two Republican legislators to say, ‘please put your district first, please fight for us,’” Hochul told residents. “Take care of our tourism and our issues about tariffs, and take care of our families, and take care of our farmers and our healthcare.”
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