Wine industry issues

The Agriculture industry in New York is a very divers industry.   The products range from   grapes, apples, a verity of vegetables, dairy, grains and livestock. New York has a number of small family farms to large production farms, totaling about 34,000 farms. There is a vast mix of agriculture in Western New York and Finger Lakes agriculture particularly important to the NY economy. The finger lake region is the largest supplier of grape wines in NY.

Preserving and improving the H2A program for seasonal workers is one issue that concern farmers in NY. The farms have to ensure that they have access to a seasonal workforce within the bounds of the law. The reason farms need foreign seasonal work is because they are more willing to do harder jobs that Americans would prefer not to do.

The Estate Tax is another issue that impacts farmers. Farms in 2009 were able to act later and kept the rate at 35%, as opposed to 55%. Farms were also exempt from the first $5 million when the tax automatically returned in 2011.

One of the best kept secrets of the Finger lakes Region is the excess of wineries surrounding the lakes. Nutrients in the soil give Catawba and other varies of grapes a distinctive flavor which local vintners turn into award-winning wines. Over 100,000 people visit the finger lake wineries between the months of  June to October. The average annual sales for the individual wineries were around $700,000 in 2010. Supporting local agriculture will help the New York State economy.