NEW YORK APPLE INDUSTRY FACT SHEET

1. New York is the second largest apple producing state in the United States, with an average of 25 million bushels of production annually.

2. Apples are grown on over 52,000 bearing acres in six major production districts throughout the entire state: Champlain Valley, Eastern Hudson Valley, Western Hudson Valley, Central Lake Country and Niagara Frontier

3. Major apple producing counties are:  Wayne, Ulster, Orleans, Niagara, Clinton, Columbia, Monroe, Orange, Onondaga and Dutchess.

4. There are approximately 694 commercial apple growers in New York State.

5. On average, 13,250,000 bushels (53%) are utilized as fresh fruit:

• 663,000 bushels (5%) are marketed directly by growers and “roadside markets”.
• 1,325,000 bushels (10%) are exported to other countries.
• 11,262,000 bushels (85%) are marketed domestically through independent and chain supermarkets, food service and military outlets.

6. On average, 11,750,000 bushels (47%) are utilized for processing:

• 4,465,000 bushels (38%) are processed into juice and cider.
• 5,522,500 bushels (47%) are processed into canned products, including sauce, slices and pie filling.
• 1,175,000 bushels (10%) are processed into frozen slices.
• 587,500 bushels (5%) are processed into vinegar, jelly, apple butter, mincemeat, and dried products.

7. Last year’s production (2005) is estimated to total 24.7 million bushels, with a value of $268 million.

8. The top 10 varieties in descending order of production volume are: McIntosh, Empire, Red Delicious, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Rome, Idared, Crispin, Paula Red plus Gala, Jonagold, Jonamac

9. New York State grown and packed apples are promoted by the New York Apple Association under the Apple Country ® brand and logo.

10. New York State grows and markets more commercial varieties of fresh eating apples than any other region of the country, including the 20 most popular varieties:   McIntosh, Empire, Red Delicious, Cortland, Crispin, Golden Delicious, Spartamac, Idared, Ginger Gold, Jersey Mac, Paulared, Jonagold, Macoun, Jonamac, Fuji, Gala, Rome, Braeburn, Fortune and Honeycrisp.

11. New York apple packers and shippers utilize cutting-edge technology in the storing, grading and packing of fruit.  New York pioneered the development of “CA” (controlled atmosphere) storage of apples, and is in the forefront of electronic size, color and quality grading technologies.

12. New York State growers are adapting new cultural methods such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which uses scientific and natural techniques to cut down on the use of chemicals, and new planting systems, such as Y-shaped trellises or posts and wires to support the trees.  This allows more sunlight to get to the fruit, producing a better colored, more flavorful apple.  In addition, growers are changing over from the old standard-size trees to the smaller more compact dwarf and semi-dwarf rootstocks, which allow for increased tree densities and improved yields.

13. The New York apple industry provides employment for thousands of New Yorkers.

• 694 family farms10,000 direct agricultural jobs
• 7,500 indirect jobs involved with handling, distribution, marketing and shipping of apple exports
• Thousands of other indirect jobs including agricultural supplies (equipment, chemicals and services), financial services and apple processing