Approximate number of active farms in New York State in 1960: 88,000

Number of active farms in New York State today: roughly 36,000

Number of New York State farms in 2007 that had commodity sales below $1,000 during the previous year: about 10,000 (27% of all NYS farms)

The number of farms that sell directly to the consumers in the six Northern New York counties in 2007: 619

Percentage of the economy driven by consumer spending according to a CBS news report: 70%

Percentage of money from a purchase at a locally owned independent store that remains in the community: 68%

Percentage of money that remains locally from a chain store purchase: $43

Amount of money per square foot a locally owned business generates into the local economy: $179

The amount of money per square foot a nationally owned business generates into the local economy: $105

Percentage of New York State residents who say they will “go out of their way” to buy local foods: 37.4%

Source: www.the350project.net, SUNY Plattsburgh Small Business Center. Reprinted from the first Adirondack North Country Association e-newsletter [pdf]; The Plowline Project; 2007 U.S. Census of Agriculture; Adirondack Harvest.

Community News Reports

Community news stories come from press releases and other notices from organizations, businesses, state agencies and other groups.

Submit your contributions to Almanack Editor Melissa Hart at [email protected]

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