The Top 7 Most Valuable Crops Grown In New York State

For many people who don't live in New York State, it might be shocking to learn that much of the state (landwise) is very rural.  Whenever I tell someone out of state that I live in New York, they automatically think of New York City. For some reason, it's difficult for non-New Yorkers to grasp that NYC is just one small area of the entire state.

How Much Of New York State Is Farmland?

According to the New York Department of Agriculture And Markets, there are 7 million acres of farmland around New York State,

Approximately 20% of New York's land area, or nearly 7 million acres, is farmland. The State is home to nearly 33,500 family farms producing some of the world's best food, helping to drive the economy. New York is a major agricultural state, ranking in the top ten in production of 30 commodities.

For comparison, Georgia has around 9.9 million acres of farmland and Tennessee is around 40 percent farmland.

These Are New York State's Top 7 Most Valuable Crops

You might be surprised to find out which crops grown in New York State are the most valuable (I was). According to Stacker, which compiled the data, a single farm in the United States grows enough crops to feed 166 people each year.

Stacker compiled a list of the most valuable crops grown in New York using data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture state agriculture overview. Crops are ranked by total annual value of production as of July 16, 2022.

Farming employs 55,363 people and all agriculture-related sectors create around 200,000 jobs in New York State, according to the New York Farm Bureau.

7. Sweet corn - $41.2 Million Produced Annually In NYS

The state that generates the most money from sweet corn farming is Florida ($208.2 million).

6. Wheat - $66.4 Million Produced Annually In NYS

The state that generates the most money from wheat farming is Kansas ($2.4 billion).

5. Cabbage - $76.3 Million Produced Annually In NYS

The state that generates the most money from cabbage farming is California ($155.2 million).

4. Soybeans - $205.2 Million Produced Annually In NYS

The state that generates the most money from soybean farming is Illinois ($8.9 billion).

3. Apples - $344.7 Million Produced Annually In NYS

The state that generates the most money from apple farming is Washington ($2.2 billion).

2. Corn - $635.0 Million Produced Annually In NYS

The state that generates the most money from corn farming is Iowa ($13.9 billion).

The Most Valuable Crop Grown In New York State Is...

Hay & Haylage - $750.6 Million Produced Annually In NYS.

The state that generates the most money from hay farming is Texas ($1.7 billion).

The top agricultural product in New York State is milk.

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Speaking of farms, the holidays are right around the corner.