Agriculture is a major industry in the Chesapeake Bay; consequently, increasing agricultural sustainability is a key component of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s mission. Since the Alliance’s founding in 1971 , our work with farmers and rural landowners has expanded to include projects in every watershed state with teams based in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. In each region and industry, the Alliance works to introduce relevant conservation practices that reduce pollution while making farmers’ jobs easier. All of this critical work is informed by the immense geographic, cultural, and historical diversity of the Chesapeake Watershed.

a color-coded map of the Susquehanna River Basin

Map of the Northern part of the Chesapeake Watershed. Photo credit: Susquehanna River Basin Commission

New York is the largest state of those that are part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, however only 7% of New York’s land area resides within the watershed. Some, or all of 19 New York counties are within this 7%, which make up the northern headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay. Approximately 70% of acres within New York’s portion of the watershed are classified as “natural” land, which includes forests, wetlands, and streams. This means there is a smaller percentage of farms within the watershed compared to other states. However, the Department of Environmental Conservation in New York has their own Chesapeake Bay Watershed Program, which has completed all three WIP Phases’ key targets for reduced Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sediment levels that they hope to achieve by 2025.

The Alliance has had contacts in New York since the Chesapeake Bay program formalized their Chesapeake 2000 Agreement and brought the “headwater” states into restoration efforts. However, the Alliance started working individually with New York farms only recently, starting with a Small Watershed Grant the Alliance secured with Organic Valley in 2022. Today, the Alliance has a dedicated New York Agriculture Projects Coordinator who works on agricultural improvement projects like cover cropping, reduced tillage, manure injection, cover and flare systems, and anaerobic digesters; and we hope to continue to build our New York programs in the coming years.

 

Economic Value/Industry Highlights

a map of New York state farmland

Map of Farmland in New York State, Andy Arthur, 2/25/2023

When you think of New York, you may think of towering skyscrapers and a concrete jungle, however, New York State has a vibrant agriculture industry, generating over $8.5 billion of revenue in 2022. Although relatively small compared to Pennsylvnia’s dominant industry, this is a 47.8% increase from revenue generated in New York in 2017. This increase can partly be attributed to the growing interest from consumers and technology available to produce value-added products from New York dairies. Dairy is king in New York, with milk being the top product and the dairy industry valued at $3.9 billion. In fact, New York is the top producer of yogurt, cottage cheese, and sour cream in the country! The state also comes in second in the nation for apple, snap pea, maple syrup, and cabbage production.

A majority of the farms in New York are located in the fertile Finger Lakes Region of the state, where thousands of years ago, glaciers tore through the earth to create deep, narrow lakes and left behind rich, fertile soils in their wake. Agriculture extends both to the east and west of the Finger Lakes, across the central region to Albany and between Rochester and Buffalo, where farms are densely packed and produce a variety of products. Even so, only one-fifth of the land in New York is farmland. There is almost no agriculture in the northern Adirondacks region of the state, which is home to towering mountains, large lakes, and hardiness zones as low as 4a (compared to the warmer 6a-7a of the lower Chesapeake Bay states).

 

The history and culture of New York agriculture

a hand pulling an apple off of an apple tree

Apples are a major part of the agriculture industry in New York. Photo credit: Glens Falls Living

Before European colonization, the Iroquois nation practiced agriculture extensively throughout what is now New York State. A large part of their production focused on the “Three Sisters” – beans, corn, and squash. The Seneca and Wyandot also planted apple and peach orchards, which were destroyed following the Revolutionary War. Their legacy remains, however, particularly in the western part of the state along Lake Ontario. Colonists also encouraged the dairy industry to thrive in the Hudson Valley of New York in the early 1600s. In 1850, the New York and Erie Railroad helped industrialize production and distribute milk into New York City, making the state the top dairy producer in the nation at the time.

Apple and wine production is also popular throughout New York., Apple orchards dot the shores of Lake Ontario, all the way down to the Southern Tier, and fruity white wines are cultivated on the shores of Seneca and Cayuga Lake. These fruit products draw tourists to upstate and Western New York areas, whether that be for apple picking, apple cider donuts, or wine tasting tours. Like many other states, farming in New York is more than just a job. Farmers are committed to supporting their local communities, staying informed on state agriculture policies, and creating sustainable livelihoods for diverse farmers.

 

How the alliance works with NY farmers

a cow inside a barn looking at the camera

The Alliance works with many dairy farmers in the Southern Tier of New York

The Alliance is just at the beginning of our work with New York farmers. In general, most dairy farms we work are much larger than the smaller, 80-100 head farms we work with in South Central PA. There tends to be more land available for large farms in the upstate NY region, leading to operations that can have up to 1,500 cows at a time. However, according to the Ag census, 98% of farms in New York are family owned. Many dairy farmers sell their milk to large coops such as Hershey, Organic Valley, Chobani, and Aldi. Smaller farmers often sell at local farmers markets or have robust direct-to-consumer markets.

The number of first generation farmers in New York has grown in recent years as older dairy farmers transition into retirement and prime agricultural land becomes available. Several of the 20+ farms the Alliance works with in New York are younger, beginning farmers. We also work with a large percentage of organic farmers who sell to the Organic Valley Coop. All of the farmers we work with have sustainability at top of mind and are excited to dive into projects with us in the future.

Agriculture in New York State is incredibly diverse and sits on a legacy of centuries-old dairy operations. Most farms around the state are located in the middle tier, however the Alliance is beginning to make connections with several dairy farms that reside within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed in the Southern Tier. The Alliance is looking forward to developing more corporate partnerships in New York and has visions of creating robust programs with local state agencies. We are excited to keep working with New York farmers and supporting sustainable and regenerative agriculture projects in the region that reduce nutrient runoff and increase biodiversity in our streams and forests!

Learn more

Support the Alliance’s Efforts