What is the current state of food production in the region?

Digging deeper• Land

• Farms & Farmers

• Products

Land

Source: USDA Cropland Data Layer, 2012

Land and soil

Prime farmland20%

Farmland of statewide

importance26%

Prime farm-land if

drained34%

Not prime farmland

21%

Land resources

Source: National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), 2012

LandPrime Farmland Uses Acres % of land

Residential 69,712 35%

Agricultural Land 54,921 28%

Vacant 30,219 15%

Commercial 5,811 3%

Wild, Forested, Conservation Lands And Public Parks 3,740 2%

Other 32,335 16%

Total 196,739 100%

Source: National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), 2012,NYS Tax Assessor Parcel File, 2012

Land

214,097 acres of farm-quality soil is currently developed.

Source: National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), 2012,USDA Cropland Layer, 2012

Land

Source: USDA Cropland Layer

Land

Source: USDA Census of Ag, 2007

1978 1982 1987 1992 1997 2002 20070

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

860,000,000

880,000,000

900,000,000

920,000,000

940,000,000

960,000,000

980,000,000

1,000,000,000

1,020,000,000

1,040,000,000

Acres of Farmland

Erie-Niagara U.S.

Total land (acres)

1,002,240

Farmland (acres)

2002: 309,788 (31%)

2007: 291,992 (29%)

Change 2002-2007: -17,796 acres

Land

1 to 49.9 50 to 99.9 100 to 259.9

260 to 999.9

1,000 to 1,999.9

2,000 or more

47%

23% 20%

9%1% 1%

Share of Farms by Size (acres operated)

Acres operated


Land

Source: USDA ARS, 2012

Average extreme temperatures increased by 5 degrees between 1986 and 2005

Temperature

1981-2010 Average (ºF)Growing Degree Days (base 50 ºF)

Erie County 48.5 2,667

Niagara County

48.3 2,647

Land• Temperature: could increase by 3F by 2020

and 8F by 2080.• Precipitation: projected to increase by 15%

in spring and 10% in summer.

Source: NYSERDA ClimAID, 2011

LandUrban Farming & Community Gardening• No comprehensive inventory of urban

farming and community gardening in the region

Grassroots Gardens• 73 gardens on 135 lots• 78 lots are vacant city-owned parcels

Greenprint Niagara• Two gardens in Niagara Falls

Barriers• Acquiring land and guaranteeing tenure• Marketing goods

Farms & Farmers

Farms & Farmers


Farms 2002 2007 Change % change

Bi-County Region 2,090 2,080 -10 0%

Erie Cnty 1,289 1,215 -74 -6%

Niagara Cnty 801 865 64 8%

Farmers 2002 2007 Change % change

Bi-County Region 3,192 3,252 60 2%

Erie Cnty 1,978 1,898 -80 -4%

Niagara Cnty 1,214 1,354 140 12%

Farms & Farmers• Over 2/3 of farmers are 45 and over• 35 percent of farmers are women• 96 percent of farmers are white• 48 percent list farming as a secondary

occupation

Under 25

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+

0%

3%

14%

27%

28%

28%

Age


Farms & Farmers• 98 percent of ag land is owner-occupied• 2 percent is tenant occupied• 10 percent farmed by corporations• 25 percent farmed by partnerships• 65 percent farmed by families,

individuals, or other organizations


65%10%

25%

Farm Type by Acres Operated

Families, in-dividuals, or otherCorporationsPartnerships

85%

7%

8%

Farm Type by Number of Farms

Farms & Farmers• Over 25 percent of ag land is treated

with herbicide


Ag land treated with… Acres % of Ag Land

Chemicals

Fungicide 9716 3.3

Herbicide 73553 25.2

Insecticide 40899 14

Other chemicals 4123 1.4

Fertilizer 119036 40.8

Manure 48509 16.6

• 4909 acres of organic ag land with 22 organic operations

Farms & FarmersEnergy & Emissions

Usage:• Between 2000 and 2004,

energy use by ag producers in New York State rose 2 percent, while the average U.S. state saw a drop in energy use by over 1 percent.

• Food system energy consumption ranking (most to least):• Processing• Household use• Agriculture• Packaging, transport, food

servicesEmissions:• Ag accounts for 8% of all

emissions in the U.S.

8%

35%

30%

27%

1%

U.S. GHG Emissions

Agriculture Commercial & Residential

Industry Transportation

Other

Source: USDA ERS, 2012

Farms & Farmers• 281 of 2,080 farms are irrigated

• 1.09 billion gallons of public water drawn/day for all uses• 0.47%, or 5.09 million gallons/day, drawn for

agriculture• Irrigation: 4.01 mg/d • Livestock: 1.04 mg/d • Aquaculture: 0.04 mg/d

Source: USGS, 2005, USDA Census of Ag, 2007

Source: Erie County Water Authority

20.3%

0.5%0.4%

0.1% 0.

0%2.7%0.1%

75.8%

Public Water Use

Public Supply

Domestic (Self-supplied)

Irrigation

Livestock

Aqua-culture

Industrial

Mining

Thermoelectric

Farms & FarmersRevenues

(top 5)($1,000) %

Expenditures (top 5)

($1,000) %

Total 239,856 100 Total 176,366 100

Animal sales 118,297 49.3 Hired labor 33,615 19.06

Crop sales 102,379 42.7 Animal feed 25,211 14.29

Farm sources 9,974 4.2Supplies and

repairs19,207 10.89

Government & insurance payments

4,779 2 Depreciation 17,676 10.02

Patronage and co-ops

1,809 0.8 Seeds and plants 10,358 5.87


Products


ProductsLand Acres %Total 1,002,240 100

Cropland 212,211 21

Harvested Cropland 173,217 100%Hay 58,627 34%

Corn grain 31,233 18%

Haylage 24,378 14%

Corn silage 23,338 13%

Soybeans 13,165 8%

Oats 4,744 3%

Wheat 3,579 2%

Apple 3,187 2%

Grape 2,945 2%

Sweet corn 2,408 1%

Other 5,613 3%Source: USDA Census of Ag, 2007

Products


Not for human consumption

Solely for human consumption

For both human and animal consumption

Solely for animal consumption

1,164

17,888

53,929

100,236

Acres of harvested cropland grown…

Products


Farm products Sales ($1,000) %

Total sales 220,675 100%Livestock & poultry 118,297 54% Milk and dairy 88,569 40% Cattle and calves 11,108 5% Hogs and pigs 307 0% Other animals and products 1,461 1%

Crops 83,678 38% Fruits, tree nuts, and berries 28,776 13% Vegetables (including soybeans) 27,262 12%

Nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod 19,293 9%

Grain, oilseeds, dry beans, dry peas 18,701 8%

Policies

Agricultural districts

The Agricultural Districts Law creates a favorable operating environment for producers and helps large tracts of land stay in active production.

Source: New York State Agricultural Districts Mapping Program, Cornell University Geospatial Information Repository, 2012

PoliciesFarmland Protection Plans

Policies• Local, state, and federal

economic development opportunities

• Farmer education and workforce development

• New-farmer programs

• Incentives for sustainable growing practices

• Land acquisition for urban growing

• Permitting and licensing

What is the current state of food production in the region?

Technology

Transcript of What is the current state of food production in the region?