Agriculture remains a major economic driver in the Finger Lakes, generating $2.3 billion in sales in 2022, the highest in New York State, according to a report by Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
Despite a 6% decline in farms since 2017, the region leads in farmland acreage and agricultural diversity, excelling in dairy, fruit, grains, and maple syrup production. Yates, Wayne, Orleans, and Livingston counties even saw farmland acreage increase. Challenges such as volatile prices, labor shortages, and extreme weather continue to threaten the sector.
DiNapoli recommends stronger support for direct-to-market sales, research on climate-resistant crops, and better policies to protect farmland from non-agricultural development.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].