Leather rot is a disease of strawberries that occurs sporadically throughout New York State. Although it is a less common cause of fruit decay than gray mold (Botrytis fruit rot), leather rot can cause significant damage when weather conditions are favorable for its development. The disease causes economic losses not only by reducing marketable yields but also by destroying the quality of processed products containing even a few infected berries. This is a particularly important consideration for pick-your-own operators, whose customers purchase bulk quantities for making jam.