Trying to Boost NY's Concord Grape Industry

The first-ever New York State Concord Grape Summit was held in April in hopes of revitalizing and expanding the state's Concord grape industry. 

Concord grapes from Western New York

Farmers, researchers, and industry leaders met with state officials to discuss industry growth challenges and explore new opportunities for Concord grape growers in New York. 

During the summit, several initiatives were announced to help strengthen the industry, including expanding research, investing in new product and new market development, and expanding marketing and promotional programs to encourage increased growth in this sector.

"Western New York's Concord grape industry exemplifies the very best of this state's diverse agriculture," said Gov. Andrew Cuomo. "By expanding research and marketing opportunities for both Concord grape growers and processors, we can provide a boost to the agricultural community, grow business, and create new jobs in this region and across New York."

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul opened-up the summit at the Grape Discovery Center in Chautauqua County, the heart of Concord grape growing in the Eastern United States.

"As a lifelong visitor to Chautauqua County, I know there is tremendous local pride in the fact that it is the world's largest contiguous Concord grape growing region," she said.

"Concord grapes grown across the Lake Erie shoreline are an important part of the diverse agricultural landscape of New York state. The Governor and I are committed to doing everything we can to support the grape industry and agricultural products across the state."

Hochul said those at the summit heard from stakeholders including farmers, researchers and industry leader. "Now we can move forward with solutions to address the challenges facing the Grape Belt here in Western New York," she said.

New York is the nation's second largest Concord grape producer, and the Lake Erie Concord Belt is the oldest and largest Concord grape growing region in the world. About 30,000 acres of grape vineyards are located along the belt with the majority, more than 18,000 acres, growing in New York state. 

The Concord variety is used in the production of many value-added products, including grape juice, jellies and marmalades, and wine.

New York's Concord Grape industry has a significant impact on the state economy and beyond. A study conducted by the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association, with assistance from Cornell University and Pennsylvania State University, estimated that each year, growers in the Concord Grape Belt produce 150,000 tons or more of Concord grapes on 30,000 acres of vineyards. 

Dozens of value-added products are processed locally and sold across the United States and exported around the world. Overall, grape-related production activities like growing, processing and winemaking support nearly 2,000 jobs and contribute $340 million in total economic impact.

In recent years, New York's Concord grape growers have experienced challenges due to a combination of changing consumer preferences for juice products and oversupply of product that has reduced grape prices. Juice and jelly production businesses are also being impacted, with many closing or reducing production as a result.

 

The Concord Grape Summit brought together agriculture, research and business leaders to discuss new developments and strategies to reinvigorate New York's Concord grape industry and boost the state's agricultural economy. 

Based on the input of these key stakeholders, several innovative actions were announced to increase opportunities for farms and businesses in this agricultural sector.

 

Advance Research

• Support research on denaturing Concord juice to create a neutral blending juice for wine through a public-private partnership between Cornell University and Welch's.
• Support, in partnership with Cornell University, a Vine Certification Program to ensure disease-free planting stock.
• Provide $300,000 to Cornell University for food science research and development of new products using Concords.
• Corrnell University's Breeding Program will release NY 98, a seedless, sweet table grape with the color of a Concord.

 

Develop New Products and Markets

The State will invest in several marketing strategies to support the development of new products made from Concord grapes and to introduce Concord grape growers to new markets, including: 

• Host the "Grape State of NY Competition" to challenge New York food and beverage manufacturers to develop new product lines using Concord grapes and grape juice.
• Launch a $100,000 Market Development Grants Program to support new Concord marketing opportunities.
• Increase grape industry representation at domestic and international trade shows, including events in Chicago, Orlando and New York City.
• Hold two workshops on export opportunities and marketing assistance.
• Focus on institutional purchasing of grape juice.

 

Vineyard Improvement Program

New York will invest more than $1.2 million to help Concord grape growers renovate vineyards, plant new vines, or diversify vineyard operations.

 

Increase Grape Marketing and Promotions Programs

• Launch a new Brandy Competition addition to the Governor's Cup, challenging winemakers to develop a unique New York craft beverage featuring Concords.
• Showcase Concord grape products at Taste NY Welcome Centers.
• Hold "It's a Grape Day" at the Great New York State Fair, which will feature a variety of grape vendors in the Taste NY Marketplace at the Fair. 
• Expand the NYS Grown & Certified program to include grape juice and wine.

Visit the Grape Discovery Center

Hey folks.

This looks like a great place to visit. A lot of people in New York forget about western New York as a grape and wine region. This is where all those deep, purple Concord grapes are grown for grape juice. That section of the grape industry contributes a lot to the economy.

The Grape Discovery Center opened in May 2013. Read more at http://www.grapediscoverycenter.com/?www.grapediscoverycenter.com

Grapes, Apples Still Strong in NY Agriculture

New York once again ranks second in the country in apple production and third in the country in grape production, according to preliminary estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

New York growers produced about 1.26 billion pounds of apples and 188,000 tons of grapes last year. 

With these estimates, only California and Washington exceed New York in grape production and only Washington produced more apples than the Empire State last year. 

New York was named "Wine Region of the Year" by Wine Enthusiast Magazine in October. The growth of the state's wine industry -- more and more wineries are opened in the state each year -- was cited as a reason why New York garnered the wine region title.

"The 2014 New York grape crop turned out a lot better than many people expected after the extreme cold of three 'polar vortex' events Upstate during the winter, followed by a relatively cool spring and summer," said Jim Trezise, president of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation.

"But September turned out to be pure magic for ripening, so the quality was superb and the quantity was larger than envisioned earlier," Trezise said. "Tonnage was 9 percent below the previous year, but that's because 2013 was the largest harvest on record. All in all, it was a very good year."

"We might be number two in national apple production, but New York has the best growing conditions and best tasting apples in the country," said James Allen, president of the New York Apple Association. "That puts us number one in the hearts of consumers from around the world. Snow may be on the ground, but New York apples, ciders and other apple products are available at food establishments throughout the year."

According to USDA Statistics Service, New York is home to 40,000 acres of apple orchards. Apple growers produced an average of 31,500 pounds per acre of apples. Last year's crop totaled $289 million, a 22 percent increase from 2013. 

New York is also home to 37,000 acres dedicated to the production of grapes. In the wake of a very harsh winter following the best crop in the state's history, grape growers produced 5.08 tons per acre of grapes in 2014 with crop production totaling $69.4 million.
New York apples have year-round availability in more than 20 varieties, including Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, RubyFrost and Zestar.
 

According to a recent economic impact study commissioned by the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, the grape, grape juice and wine industry has a $4.8 billion economic impact and attracts 5.3 million tourists annually to the New York state. The industry supports 25,000 full-time jobs with wages amounting to more than $1.4 billion. 

New York has ranked second in apple production every year since 1996 and third in grape production every year since 1987, with an exception in 1996 when the state ranked second. New York state also traditionally ranks in the top 10 nationally in the production of blueberries, peaches, pears, strawberries, sweet cherries and tart cherries. 

In 2014, the state ranked fourth in pear production, fifth in tart cherries, eighth in sweet cherries, ninth in strawberries and 11th in peaches and blueberries.