Agriculture in NY

Agriculture, like every other industry in New York, is a major thing that helps keep the economy going. There is pride in knowing that someone in your community grew or raised the food you are eating, and that it is probably healthier than most of the food you are going to buy in the grocery store. Agriculture plays a major role in the New York state economy. I'll show you how the New York state economy is affected by the farms of New York and also the legislation that helps them grow and prosper.

Each little farm in New York is very important to the economy in many ways. The farms of New York make up 25% of the state's land area and bring in over $3.6 billion to the economy. There are 35,600 farms in New York and they use 7.55 million acres. Animals and fruit rank high among the nation in terms of production and cash return. Livestock brought in over $246 million. Milk, one of the top agriculture products, accounts for about half of the income brought in. Fruit also brought in great amounts of revenue, $243 million. Apples and grapes are among the top products produced in New York. After being over to Goold's Orchard last week, I can see how well the different farms are doing and how they are dealing with these tough times. Strawberries are also on of the top products of New York. Many of the local farms will allow people to go and pick their own, like Swartz's Farm. We go there every year to pick strawberries, and it's much cheaper to go and pick your own than buy them at the store, and you're guaranteed they're fresh. Field crops like soybeans and corn have many benefits to them as well. The soybeans attract wild animals, like turkeys and deer, that my grandfather likes to watch throughout the summer for hunting season. They also brought in over $43.5 million. Local farms not only bring in money for the economy, but also help the community in understanding how farms work, and bring able to buy local foods to support the local economy. But does New York state have sufficient legislation in place to help and protect their local farms from competition and a bad market.

The legislation in act helps to keep the farms growing and prosperous. There are many laws that protect the farmers and the people who work on the farms. There is also tax incentives and exemptions for farmers. There is strong legislation in place that allows the farmer to be the most productive during the harvest time. New York tries to get farms to be as efficient as possible. There are many tax incentives on many items, mainly things used on the farm, like equipment and tools. Taxes on farm land is also much less than on regular land. If a person rents out their land to a farmer ,the get a tax break. My grandparents do that with their land, they rent it out to the local farmers to plant crops on, and they get a tax break. New York also passed legislation for farmland protection, and to give out grants to farms.There are also many laws in place to ensure the quality of food being produced.

With good legislation in place, New York farms can help the economy on a state and local level. Many local farms produce many different products right in the Hudson Valley region, so the people can buy local and know they are buying the best quality food that they can.