New York wines and other farm-based craft beverages, farm-fresh food products, sensational seafood, and fine restaurants will soon travel to the nation's Capitol to tastefully remind Congress, the Administration and others that New York is a major agricultural state, and agriculture is a major part of the state's economy.

             On Wednesday, September 14 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will host "New York Farm Day" in the elegant Senate Kennedy Caucus Room at the crest of Capitol Hill.  Attendees will include other Senators, the New York Congressional delegation from the House of Representatives, members of the Committes on Agriculture and the Congressional Wine Caucus, legislative chiefs of staff, agricultural specialists in Congress and the Administration, members of the Washington media, top area restaurants and fine wine shops. 

             "Senator Gillibrand has been a great advocate for New York agriculture, including the grape and wine industry as well as other farm-based craft beverages," said Jim Trezise, President of the statewide New York Wine & Grape Foundation, which organizes the event.  "New York produces some of the world's best wines, beers, spirits and ciders, as well as other farm products and seafood, and is home to some of the best restaurants in the world. We are honored to partner with Senator Gillibrand in tastefully proving that to official Washington."

              Since its inaugural launch in 2002 (then hosted by former Senator Hillary Clinton), New York Farm Day has become the most popular event on Capitol Hill, with attendance normally exceeding 500 guests.  A major part of the attraction is that the people presenting the beverages and foods are the same people who produce them--it's not just another catered event.

             "Farm Day is a unique and important opportunity for us to showcase the best of what New York's farmers and producers have to offer.  Every year we bring New York to Washington, DC, and I am thrilled that this has become such an anticipated event on the Congressional calendar," said Senator Gillibrand, New York's first member of the Senate Agriculture Committee in nearly four decades.  "New York's farmers and producers are some of the best in the world, and this is a great opportunity to spread the word even further about the quality of our produce.  I know we are all looking forward to sampling some of the incredible wine, beer, spirits, cider, milk, food and produce that will be on display."

              The event is generally organized according to the State's major wine-producing regions--Long Island, Brooklyn and New York City, the Hudson Valley, the Capital District, Central New York, the Finger Lakes, the Niagara and Erie areas, and North Country.  Each region features a diverse array of foods and beverages, with some including restaurants which feature New York products. 

              Farming is a $38.4 billion industry vital to New York's economy, according to a recent economic impact study commissioned by Farm Credit East, a sponsor of the event.  About 23% of the State's land area, or 7 million acres, are covered by 36,000 family farms.  New York ranks high among the major agricultural states in America--first in the production of yogurt; second in apples and maple syrup; third in grapes, grape juice and wine; and fourth in pears and dairy, which is by far the largest segment of the agricultural sector.  The grape, grape juice and wine industry alone generates more than $5 billion in economic benefits annually to the State of New York.

              New York Farm Day is made possible by the generosity of its sponsors including CoBank, Constellation Brands, Farm Credit East, Hudson Valley Agribusiness Development Corporation, New York Apple Association, New York Farm Bureau, and the New York Wine & Grape Foundation.

               Below is the all-New York "menu" for Farm Day 2016.

Wines of Long Island--A selection of award-winning wines from Bedell Cellars, Coffee Pot Cellars, Harbes Family Farm & Vineyard, Kontokosta Winery, Lieb Cellars, Macari Vineyards, Martha Clara Vineyards, McCall Wines, Osprey's Dominion Vineyards, One Woman Wines & Vineyards, Palmer Vineyards, Paumanok Vineyards, Raphael Vineyards, Sannino Bella Vita Vineyard, Suhru Wines, and Wolffer Estate Vineyard

K & B Seafood--Fresh Oysters and Clams 

Jewel--Seared Crescent Farm Duck Breast; Toasted Barley Salad with Raspberry-Coffee Vinaigrette and Petit Licorice Greens--by Chef Thomas Schaudel

Distilled Spirits of New York--Black Squirrel Distillery, Dark Island Spirits, Lockhouse Distillery, Tuthilltown Spirits, and Van Brunt Stillhouse

Orwashers Bakery--Morning Spelt, Levain Locale, Ultimate Whole Wheat, and Chardonnay Rustica & Sesamo Breads made with flour from Farmer Ground and North Country Farms, and starters made with grapes from Channing Daughters Winery                                        

New York State Maple Producers--Maple Cheesecake Delight made with maple granulated sugar and cream cheese sourced from New York dairies

Seaway Trail Honey--Seaway Trail Honey Raw Honeycomb Tidbits, Honey Cookies, Roasted Nuts and Honey, Bee Berry Melomel, Honey & Hops Mead

Cornell University--Cornell Big Red Cheddar

Wines of the Hudson Valley--A selection of award-winning wines from Benmarl Winery, Brotherhood Winery, Clinton Vineyards, Millbrook Winery, Robibero Family Vineyards, Stoutridge Vineyard, and Whitecliff Vineyard & Winery

Red Jacket Orchards--Black & Blue Stomp (black currant and blueberry juice); Apricot Stomp; Tart Cherry Stomp.

State University of New York at Cobleskill--Smoked Campus-raised Brown Trout on Micro Greens with Yogurt Cheese and Spicy Pumpkin Vinaigrette; Centennial Celebration Pumpkin Cupcakes with Honey Buttercream

Wines of the Finger Lakes--A selection of award-winning wines from Fulkerson Winery, Goose Watch Winery, Hosmer Winery, Knapp Winery, Lakewood Vineyards, Red Newt Cellars, and Wagner Vineyards

New York Wine & Culinary Center--Chilled Buckwheat Noodle Salad tossed with Small World Organics Kimchee, Naked Dove Beer Braised Bostrom Farms Pork, and Marinated Chef Select Vegetables

Craft Ciders of New York--A selection of ciders from Brooklyn Cider House, Descendant Cider Company, Embark Craft Ciderworks, Good Life Cider, Hudson Valley Farmhouse Cider, and Nine Pin Ciderworks

Upstate Niagara Cooperative--Intense Chocolate and Salted Caramel Milk, and Greek Yogurt

Li-Lac Chocolates--Hazelnut Truffles, Marzipan Squares, Non-pareils, French Mint and Butter Crunch Chocolate

National Grape Cooperative/Welch's--Red and White Sparkling Grape Juice

Cabot Creamery Cooperative--McCadam Adirondack, Cabot New York Extra Sharp, and McCadam Empire Jack Cheeses 

Wines of Lake Erie and Other New York Regions--A selection of award-winning wines from 21 Brix Winery, Johnson Estate Winery, and Liberty Vineyards & Winery (Lake Erie region); Coyote Moon Vneyards and Tug Hill Vineyards (North Country); Leonard Oakes Estate Winery (Niagara region); and Brooklyn Oenology (New York City) 

North Country Specialties--Moser's Maple Mini's, Adirondack Beef Company Beef Sticks, Lowville Producer's Squeaky Fresh Cheese Curd, Kraft-Heinz Philadelphia Cream Cheese (from Philadelphia, New York!), and Domaine Champlain Applesauce

Mercer's Dairy--Lemon Sparkling, and Cherry Merlot, Wine Ice Creams 

Dessert & Ice Wines of New York--A selection of award-winning wines from Casa Larga Vineyards, Fox Run Vineyards, Johnson Estate Winey, Lakewood Vineyards, Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars, Osprey's Dominion Vineyards,  Penguin Bay Winery, Sheldrake Point Winery, and Thirsty Owl Wine Company.

New York Apple Association--Fresh New York Apples and Red Jacket Orchards Cider    

Empire Brewing Company--Slo' Mo IPA, Skinny Atlas Light, Two Dragons, White Aphro

Wines of the Finger Lakes--A selection of award-winning wines from Anthony Road Winery, Billsboro Winery, Chateau Lafayette Reneau, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Fox Run Vineyards, Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars, Treleaven by King Ferry, and Ventosa Vineyards

Chobani--Chili Lime, Roasted Red Pepper, Three Pepper Salsa, and Smoked Onion Parmesan flavored dips; and Apple Veg, Strawberry Banana, Mixed Berry, and Mango flavored drinkable yogurts

Apples

-- 650 growers, 47,000 acres, 30 million bushels

-- #2 in US, New York apples sold in most states and 15 countries

Dairy

-- 5,000 family farms, 14 billion pounds of milk, #4 in US

-- #1 in cottage cheese, sour cream, and yogurt

Honey

-- 1 pound of honey = bees flying 55,000 miles to visit 2,000,000 flowers

-- 3,596,000 pounds produced in 2015

Maple

-- 707,000 gallons in 2016, #2 in US

--  Production doubled in past 20 years

Beer

-- 288 breweries, #5 in US

-- $4 billion economic impact, #4 in US

Cider

-- 2011-2015: 750% production increase; 1200% growth in cider producers

-- 1,000,000 gallons in 2005

Spirits

-- Farm distillers grew from 10 to 95 in past five years

Wine

-- 406 wineries in 59 of 62 New York counties

-- $5 billion annual economc impact

                                                          #     #     #

     "Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness."

                                                                   --Thomas Jefferson