Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Partnerships Will Boost NY Beverage Industry

From the state Department of Agriculture and Markets:

Two new partnerships to further support and grow the beverage industry in the Finger Lakes region have been announced.

A new partnership between Taste NY and the New York Wine & Culinary Center was unveiled following a successful listening session with beverage industry stakeholders during Gov. Cuomo’s Capital for a Day in Rochester.  

In addition, $200,000 will be provided to Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and its New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva for research on hops and malting barley, the two major ingredients in the production of beer.  

Capital for a Day was created by Cuomo to bring state government directly to the people it serves. The day-long event partnered state officials with residents, local leaders and stakeholders to examine first-hand the needs of a community and how New York state government can build upon its strengths and make a positive impact on its residents.


The New York Wine & Culinary Center, a premier attraction in the Finger Lakes that showcases New York’s dynamic agriculture, food and beverage industries through its classes, events, and farm-to-table restaurant, is partnering with Taste NY to further expand its dedication to New York-sourced products and ingredients, as well as promote and educate visitors about the diversity of New York agricultural products.
 
As part of the partnership, the New York Wine & Culinary Center will incorporate the Taste NY experience into its culinary and beverage educational classes.Recipes used in classes will include New York state products and will list the local farmers and suppliers of ingredients to familiarize students with the wide variety of New York agricultural products. 
 
The New York Wine & Culinary Center also will modify the majority of its promotional material with the addition of the Taste NY logo, such as its newly launched wine and culinary center farm-to-table food truck which features the branding.  

The food truck offers a menu that represents an extension of the cuisine of the Upstairs Bistro, the culinary center's popular restaurant, and uses nearly 100 percent New York state products on the road. 

The food truck will be on the move this summer at various events, wineries, breweries and more. 

Taste NY branding will also be added to the menu at Upstairs Bistro to reflect its dedication to local sourcing. It continues to offer a 100 percent New York wine and beer list, as well as a large number of spirit and cider products from the state.

The state will provide $200,000 to Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station for research into hops and malting barley, the two primary ingredients in beer.

The money, included in the 2015-16 state budget, builds on $133,242 previously provided by the Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority.

The experiment station is in the second year of a multi-year research plan aimed at testing the growing stock for malting barley, evaluating disease resistance of various varieties and evaluating which varieties are best suited to New York's climate.


The research being conducted by Cornell University will help meet the growing demand of hops and barley for use in farm-based breweries. Cuomo’s Farm Brewery Legislation, which has spurred the rapid growth of craft brewing in New York state, requires farm brewers to increase the percentage of New York-grown hops and all other ingredients in farm-brewed beer from 20 percent today to 90 percent by 2024. 



The 2012 USDA Census of Agriculture, the most recent official statistics available, shows that 7,679 acres of land in New York was used to produce barley, while 19 acres of land was in use for growing hops. 

A Cornell Cooperative Extension hops expert estimates that more than 300 acres of land is in use statewide now to grow hops, with the number growing by 75 to 100 acres a year and with larger farming organizations considering large-scale hops growing operations.





 

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