Comptroller: Farms generate $4.8B for New York’s economy

St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties rank among top 5 New York counties for milk cows

New York state’s farms generated $4.8 billion in revenue in 2017, with 15 agricultural products ranked in the top five nationwide, according to a report issued Sept. 20 by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. 

“Agriculture is a crucial piece of the state’s economy, with farms contributing nearly $2.4 billion to the state’s gross domestic product,” DiNapoli said in the report. 

New York has more than 35,000 farms covering 7.3 million acres, nearly one-quarter of the state’s land area. The farms produce a variety of crops — 15 of which place highly in national rankings for production, including cottage cheese, sour cream, yogurt, apples, and grapes. The report found New York’s U.S. rankings rose in 2017 compared to 2011 in milk, snap beans, and maple syrup. 

Milk is by far the state’s largest agricultural commodity, with $2.7 billion in sales in 2017, more than half of the total for all agricultural products. The state’s production of milk and other dairy products relied on about 620,000 milk cows in 2017. Five counties were home to nearly 30 percent of the state’s milk cows, with Wyoming County leading the way, followed by Cayuga, St. Lawrence, Genesee, and Jefferson counties.

New York vineyards covered 35,000 acres in 2017, producing 187,000 tons of grapes, surpassed only by California and Washington. The state’s 57,000 tons of wine grapes ranked No. 3 in the nation and its volume of concord grapes for juice ranked second, with production nearly doubling from 2012 to 2017. 

Farmers in New York face a number of on-going challenges, including unpredictable weather and long working hours. For dairy farms that make up the largest proportion of the state’s overall agricultural production, falling milk prices have cut revenues sharply, in some cases threatening family businesses, the comptroller’s report contended. Tariffs, including those imposed recently on agricultural products by the nation’s trading partners in response to those imposed by the U.S. government, have increased financial uncertainty for many farmers in New York and nationwide. Federal policies on visas for migrant workers and other immigration programs have increased restrictions on such workers, who play an “important role” in the state’s agricultural workforce, the report stated. Such steps may add to the challenge of planting and harvesting on a timely basis. 

St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties rank among top 5 New York counties for milk cows

New York state’s farms generated $4.8 billion in revenue in 2017, with 15 agricultural products ranked in the top five nationwide, according to a report issued Sept. 20 by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. 

“Agriculture is a crucial piece of the state’s economy, with farms contributing nearly $2.4 billion to the state’s gross domestic product,” DiNapoli said in the report. 

New York has more than 35,000 farms covering 7.3 million acres, nearly one-quarter of the state’s land area. The farms produce a variety of crops — 15 of which place highly in national rankings for production, including cottage cheese, sour cream, yogurt, apples, and grapes. The report found New York’s U.S. rankings rose in 2017 compared to 2011 in milk, snap beans, and maple syrup. 

Milk is by far the state’s largest agricultural commodity, with $2.7 billion in sales in 2017, more than half of the total for all agricultural products. The state’s production of milk and other dairy products relied on about 620,000 milk cows in 2017. Five counties were home to nearly 30 percent of the state’s milk cows, with Wyoming County leading the way, followed by Cayuga, St. Lawrence, Genesee, and Jefferson counties.

New York vineyards covered 35,000 acres in 2017, producing 187,000 tons of grapes, surpassed only by California and Washington. The state’s 57,000 tons of wine grapes ranked No. 3 in the nation and its volume of concord grapes for juice ranked second, with production nearly doubling from 2012 to 2017. 

Farmers in New York face a number of on-going challenges, including unpredictable weather and long working hours. For dairy farms that make up the largest proportion of the state’s overall agricultural production, falling milk prices have cut revenues sharply, in some cases threatening family businesses, the comptroller’s report contended. Tariffs, including those imposed recently on agricultural products by the nation’s trading partners in response to those imposed by the U.S. government, have increased financial uncertainty for many farmers in New York and nationwide. Federal policies on visas for migrant workers and other immigration programs have increased restrictions on such workers, who play an “important role” in the state’s agricultural workforce, the report stated. Such steps may add to the challenge of planting and harvesting on a timely basis.