BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

SYRACUSE -- New York State maple syrup producers will now have access to state land and maple trees for tapping, with an approved lease agreement, for a maximum of up to ten years.

The news broke at the New York State Fair last week as Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation to overhaul the previous legislation that limited leases to just five years for maple producers.

Many critics previously said the short-term leases were not long enough to warrant such investment, but with the new legislation now signed into law state officials said they expect to see significant investment by large-scale maple syrup producers in the coming years.

“As we celebrate the State Fair, we recognize that New York’s agriculture is a central component to our State’s economy,” Governor Hochul said.

“With the signing of this legislation, we continue our mission to uplift this community and prove we are here to support them every step of the way.”

Hochul signed three bills into law at the State Fair to "expanding resources and protections for the State’s agricultural industry," including legislation to allow the use of apples grown outside of New York State for State labeled cider when necessary due to loss of crops, as well to establish the Beginning Farmer Advisory Board on Agriculture.

Senate bill S.9232 and Assembly bill A.10199 provides a crop loss determination for farm wineries to authorize the use of apples grown outside of New York State to be used for State labeled cider when needed due to a loss of crops.

State lawmakers have said in the past that legislation such as those signed into law by Hochul last week would help protect wineries in the event pests or extreme weather wipes out crops.

Legislation S.9248/A.7020A, which establishes the Beginning Farmer Advisory Board on Agriculture, seeks to implement a plan that will move forward the state's efforts to bring new entrants into farming.

"With the average age of New York State's farmers approaching 57 years, up from 55 years, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, identifying the next generation to work on our farms and assuring their success should be a concern of New York state. Once an individual makes a commitment to start farming, a complex set of business issues must be tackled. It can be overwhelming and discouraging to try to navigate programs and resources in matters related to farming," state lawmakers wrote in the legislation.

New York State is home to over 3,500 dairy farms, supporting 183,000 dairy related jobs across the state, according to New York Dairy.

"New York is one of the top five largest dairy industries in the country, naming dairy the largest sector of New York's entire agricultural industry. That is no small feat. Think about it. New York boasts thousands of dairy farms that produce over 15 billion pounds of milk each year. Yes, we said 15 BILLION, with a 'b.' New York State ranks first in the United States in the production of cottage cheese, yogurt, and sour cream. Thousands of dairy farms means more jobs, jobs for individuals, families, communities, businesses—an industry that proudly contributes directly to the New York economy," according to New York Dairy's website.