Spanning acres of high-density orchards, hail netting can provide a critical layer of protection for New York state apples from disfiguring weather damage.

To test what is a promising solution to a big problem, a group of forward-thinking growers are partnering with Cornell Extension fruit specialists, and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences researchers.

Fruit growers cooperating in the research, which was funded by the Apple Research and Development Program, include Lamont Fruit Farm, Wafler Nursery & Orchards, Cherry Lawn Fruit Farms and DeMarree Fruit Farm.