ALBANY – New York state continues to be a leading agricultural state with 36,300 farms producing $4.7 billion in products annually. That’s according to a report released last week by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. New York ranks among the largest producers in the nation for some goods, including ranking second in wine production.
New York was the second-largest producer of wine in the nation behind California, producing 36 million gallons of wine in 2010. The volume of wine grape production, which accounted for about 35 percent of the state’s grape production, rose by 17 percent in 2010.
In addition, Milk remains New York’s largest farm product, accounting for almost half of the state’s agricultural sales in 2010. New York was the nation’s fourth-largest milk producer and ranked first in the production of cottage cheese and sour cream. Further, New York is well on its way to being a national leader in the production of Greek-style yogurt.
In his report, DiNapoli said that while farming in New York is mainly a small, family business, its economic impact is widespread. He added that Farming supports thousands of New Yorkers in a variety of industries and services, such as food processing, trucking and tourism. The comptroller concluded his report by saying that New York needs to do all it can to make sure its farmers can successfully continue their way of life.
The report was announced at the New York State Fair, a showcase for New York’s agricultural community since 1841.
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