Busy year for Wine, Culinary Center
Some figures for the first year of operation at the New York Wine & Culinary Center:

96,698: Number of visitors to the center from mid-June 2006 through May.

$1.91 million: Revenue for 2006.

$1.89 million: Expenditures for 2006.

24,000: Number of wine and beverage tastings offered in the Center’s tasting room from mid-June 2006 through May.

105: Number of New York wineries represented in Tasting Room, representing all wine regions of the state.

31,834: Number of customers served at the Taste of New York Lounge from mid- June 2006 through May.

273: Number of food and wine classes offered to the general public from mid-June 2006 through May.

12: Number of full-time staffers. 20 to 50: Number of part-time staffers, depending on season.

— Source: Alexa Gifford, executive director of the New York Wine & Culinary Center.

Maple production down
New York maple syrup 2007 production decreased 11 percent from last year’s production according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s New York Field Office.

Syrup production is estimated at 224,000 gallons, down from the 253,000 gallons produced in 2006. Only two states, Vermont and Maine, produced more syrup. The number of taps, 1.47 million, decreased 4 percent from last year. Syrup produced per tap averaged 0.152 gallons, down from 0.165 gallons in 2006.

The final value of the 2006 crop is $8.02 million, 14 percent above the previous year’s value of production. However, the overall price was $31.70, the same as last year’s price.

Sugar content this year was low across the State, some producers never reached 2 percent. Sap quality was poor and the syrup darkened early. Producers reported making some medium amber, but mostly dark, and little light amber. Syrup color was 54 percent dark, 40 percent medium, and 6 percent light. Most producers reported a poor maple season due to the extended warm and cold periods. Only a few producers reported tent caterpillars hindering maple production.

During the maple season producers experienced some snow late in January, then a long warm spell, followed by an abundance of snow. The inconsistent weather pattern made it difficult for consistent sap flow.

The 2007 U.S. maple syrup production totaled 1.26 million gallons, down 13 percent from 2006. The number of taps is estimated at 7.28 million, up less than 1 percent from the 2006 total of 7.26 million, while the yield per tap is estimated to be 0.173 gallons, down 14 percent from the previous season. Vermont led all States in production with 450,000 gallons, a decrease of 2 percent from 2006. Production in Maine, at 225,000 gallons, decreased 25 percent from last season.

May milk prices up
Prices received by New York producers for milk sold during May increased from a month earlier, according to NASS. The price of potatoes, hay, apples, corn, and eggs increased. The price of wheat decreased. Many previous month prices were revised due to more complete sales information.

Dairy farmers in the Empire State received an average of $18.00 per hundred- weight of milk sold during May, $1.00 more than April and $5.80 more than May a year ago. Poultry producers received an average of 62 cents per dozen eggs sold, up 4 cents from April and 39 cents higher than last year. Grain corn, at $3.62 per bushel, increased 2 cents from April and increased $1.31 from last year. Wheat price was $4.50, 34 cents below last month but 97 cents above last year. Hay averaged $125.00 per ton, $3.00 more than April and $2.00 more than May 2006. Potatoes, at $11.60 per hundredweight, increased 10 cents from April. Fresh market apple prices at the packinghouse door averaged 27.7 cents per pound this month, 0.3 cents more than last month and 3.3 cents more than last year.

The preliminary All Farm Products Index of Prices Received by Farmers in May, at 138 percent, based on 1990-92=100, increased 4 points (3.0 percent) from April. The Crop Index is up 3 points (2.1 percent) and the Livestock Index increased 5 points (3.9 percent). Producers received higher commodity prices for milk, hogs, hay, and broilers. Lower prices were received for lettuce, cattle, broccoli, and cauliflower. The overall index is also affected by the seasonal change based on a 3-year average mix of commodities producers sell. Increased average marketings of sweet corn, broilers, peaches, and wheat offset decreased marketings of cattle, milk, oranges, and apples.

Crop and livestock report
The following information was released by the National Agricultural Statistics Service's New York Field Office in June:

Winter wheat production down
Results from the May 2007 Agricultural Yield Survey show winter wheat production in New York is forecast at 4.16 million bushels, down 28 percent from 2006’s output. Acreage for harvest is down 19 percent while yields are expected to average 54 bushels per acre, down 7 bushels from a year ago. The U.S. winter wheat crop is placed at 1.62 billion bushels, up 24 percent from 2006.

Hay stocks down
Hay stocks on New York farms on May 1, 2007 totaled 326 thousand tons, up 14 percent from the 285 thousand tons on farms on May 1, 2006. Nationally, on farm hay stocks totaled 15.0 million tons, down 30 percent from the previous year.

Milk production down
Total milk production in New York during 2006, at 12.0 billion pounds, was down slightly from 2005. The annual average number of milk cows, at 638,000 head, was down 2 percent from the previous year. Annual output per cow averaged 18,879 pounds, up 1 percent from 2005.

Cash receipts from the sale of New York milk during 2006 totaled $1.61 billion, down 16 percent from the previous year. The $13.40 per hundredweight received for all milk sold by New York farmers was down $2.50, or 16 percent, from the $15.90 received in 2005.

Marketing totals include whole milk and producer- separated cream sold to plants and dealers as well as milk sold directly to consumers.