New York Agriculture By The Numbers

This recent Huffington Post piece got us wanting to know more about our own agricultural footprint. So we did some internet searching and collected these factoids about New York and the Finger Lakes to learn more about what we’re producing and how much of it. Here’s New York agriculture, by the numbers.

From the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets:

• The total value of New York’s agricultural production was over $5.70 billion in 2012.
• Dairy and animal production in New York provided $3 billion value of production to farmers in 2012.
• Milk sales account for half of New York’s total agricultural sales.
• New York is the nation’s 4th leading milk producer.
• The combined value of eggs and the value of sales for chickens was $93.7 million for 2012.
• Field crops, fruits and vegetables returned $2.7 billion to New York farmers in 2012.
• New York ranks 2nd nationally in apple production behind Washington, with production worth about $249.8 million in 2012.
• New York is the country’s leading pumpkin producing state, valued at $33 million in 2012.
• At $15.7 million, New York ranks 2nd behind Vermont in maple syrup production revenue.
• New York ranks 3rd behind California and Washington in national wine production.

NEW YORK’S TOP TEN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

(form the National Agricultural Statistics Service)

A look at our region’s production in particular (from fingerlakes.org and visitfingerlakes.org):

• The Finger Lakes is home to more than 50 farmers’ markets.
• The Finger Lakes is New York’s largest wine-producing region with nearly 90% of the state’s wine production happening here.
• In the Finger Lakes there are currently more than 110 wineries, 9,393 acres of vineyards, and 54,600 tons of grapes produced each year.
• The Finger Lakes is home to 13 family-run dairy farms that make up the Finger Lakes Cheese Trail.
• Ontario County farmers are credited as one of the largest producers of cabbage worldwide. The cabbage harvester was invented here.
• Scientists at Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, “birthed” five of the East’s most popular apple varieties: Cortland, Empire, Macoun, Jonagold. The Northern Spy was reputedly discovered in Bloomfield and then perfected at the NYS Experiment Station.

Now you can whip out any number of these fun New York agriculture facts at your next dinner party and impress all your friends and family!