New York”™s agriculture sector paid $970.2 million in wages and produced roughly $3.3 billion in gross domestic product during 2021, according to a report published by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
Milk is the state”™s largest agricultural commodity, ranked fifth nationally in sales by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and New York is among the top producers of other products including apples, maple syrup, wine and grapes. According to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, there are over 33,000 farms in New York with nearly 23% of the total land area in agricultural use; approximately 9% of the state”™s agricultural receipts come from crops grown for animal feed.
Furthermore, the agricultural sector weathered the Covid-19 pandemic better than other sectors, with only a 1% job loss in 2020 compared to the statewide annual employment loss of 8.7%.
“Agriculture supports jobs and communities throughout New York,” DiNapoli said. “In addition to the growth in employment and wages in the sector, local farms contributed to the food security in their communities during the Covid pandemic as disrupted supply chains left shelves empty in many places. Agriculture, particularly the family farm, is vital to New York”™s health and economy. Many of our farms face significant challenges to their bottom line, making it important for the state to ensure that this sector continues to thrive.”
