The document discusses agriculture and the dairy industry in Saratoga County and New York State. Some key points: - Dairy is the top agricultural product in New York and Saratoga County, generating $2.5 billion annually statewide. - Saratoga County has 583 farms on 78,849 acres, with dairy and horses being major commodities. Agriculture generates $125 million annually for the county. - Surveys of county residents found over 70% have an optimistic outlook on local agriculture and support initiatives to promote and sustain it, such as farmland protection plans and new branding/marketing. - Challenges for farmers include financial pressures and the need for technical assistance and

2. THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF
AGRICULTURE
On the Saratoga County Economy

3. PRESENTING SPONSOR

4. GOLD SPONSOR
SILVER SPONSORS
BRONZE SPONSOR

5. Dairy Data and Technology
Solutions

6. Aurox Technology
• Commercial Drone technology
• State of the art software.
• Survey-grade tech that allows for
sub–inch accuracy.
• Integrate with existing farm feed
software data.
• Monthly reports to optimize nutrition
on Dairy Farm.

7. Total Feed
Costs, 56%Other
Operating
Costs, 13%
Labor and
Overhead,
31%
Feed Value
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture New York State 2013-2016 Assumes $50 per ton
High Cost
High
Value
$3 M $2.9 M
$0
$500,000
$1,000,000
$1,500,000
$2,000,000
$2,500,000
$3,000,000
$3,500,000
$600,00
0
Lost

8. Challenge: Accuracy

9. Important Questions
• Who is responsible for keeping track of bunk inventories?
• How often are they estimating the inventories?
• How early is it known when a bunk will be empty?
• Consistent measurements allow for trend analysis and
forecasting
Challenge: Consistency
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
10/2016
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
[ft3]
Flight
Volume

10. Challenge: Safety
“Silage related tragedies have no age boundary. Family members, employees, and
bystanders of all ages have been injured or killed during harvest and feed-out. We have
nothing to lose by practicing safety; but we have everything to lose by not practicing it.”
Keith Bolsen
X

13. Thank You
Adam Durrin
adam@aurox.io
www.aurox.io
518-810-3792

14. THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF
AGRICULTURE
On the Saratoga County Economy

15. “More than most regions of the country,
Saratoga County is the beneficiary of major
capital investment, strong and vibrant
communities, and a diverse economy that
provides opportunities in tourism, agriculture,
and technology.
It was also felt, however, that recent
successes have not been capitalized. There
was a growing sense that Saratoga County
was not positioned for the next wave of
opportunity.”

16. Mission of the Partnership
The mission of the Saratoga County
Prosperity Partnership shall be to secure
sustainable jobs and capital investment by
attracting new business to the County and
retaining existing businesses by assisting
them to grow.

17. Economic Development
Circle of Life Sustainable jobs
Disposable Income
Demand for
Retail/Services
Generates Sales Tax and
other Revenue
Creates superior
“Quality of Place”
Attracts new business,
generates new
local business

19. THEMES
• Old McDonald had a farm...and he wants to
keep it
• And on his farm he had some cows...
• And on those farms they produced
a lot of milk
• And on his farm he was very productive...
• And on his farm he had a lot of horses
• And on his farm things are
changing...technology

20. Land Use in the United States
• Gathered together, cropland would
take up more than a fifth of the 48
contiguous states.
• Pasture and rangeland would cover
most of the Western U.S.,
• All of the country’s cities and towns
would fit neatly in the Northeast.
Land in millions of acres
Pasture/range 654 M
Forest 538.6M
Cropland 391.5M
Special use 168.6M
Urban 69.5M
Misc. 68.9M
Source: Bloomberg - 2017 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service
in a report called the Major Uses of Land in the United States (MLU)

21. Land Use in the United States
Cropland takes up a
fifth of the country
20%
Source: Bloomberg - 2017 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service
in a report called the Major Uses of Land in the United States (MLU)
Total Cropland 391.5 M acres
Livestock feed 127.4M
Food we eat 77.3M
Other grain + feed exports 62.8M
Idle/Fallow land 52 M
Ethanol, biodiesel 38.1M
Wheat exports 21.5M
Cotton/non-food 13.6M

22. Land Use in the United States
food we eat
20%
Source: Bloomberg - 2017 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service
in a report called the Major Uses of Land in the United States (MLU)
Total Cropland 391.5 M acres
Livestock Feed 127.4M acres
Food we eat 77.3 M acres
Livestock feed
30%

23. Land Use in the United States
of U.S. land in the
contiguous states
revolves around cow
pastures + cropland
used to produce feed.
41%
Source: Bloomberg - 2017 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service
in a report called the Major Uses of Land in the United States (MLU)
Pasture/range 654 M acres
Livestock feed crops 127.4M acres

24. New York State of Agriculture
Source: USDA 2017 New York State Agriculture Overview
Milk is the leading agricultural product
Milk sales account for ½ total agricultural receipts
statewide. NYS Ag Society
• 1.5 million head of cattle
• 620,000 dairy cows
• 14.9 billion pounds of milk
• 40,000 acres of apple trees
• $25 million worth of maple syrup

25. of the State’s land area
is used for Agriculture
• 7.2 M acres of farmland
• 35,500 Farm operations
Land Use in New York State
Source: USDA 2017 New York State
Agriculture Overview
23%

26. Land Use in Saratoga County
• 583 farms
• 78,849 acres in farming (2012)
• Average size of farm – 135 acres
• 2 agricultural districts
111,000 acres of viable ag land
• Change in farming
• 1910 3,611 farms 392,200 acres
• 2012 583 farms 78,849 acres
• Average value of farmland $4,791 per
acre
2012 Census of Agriculture

27. New York State Top Crops by acreage
Source: USDA 2017 New York State Agriculture Overview
Forage-land used for all
hay and haylage, grass
silage, and greenchop
Corn for grain
Corn for silage
Soybeans for beans
Vegetables harvested
TOP CROPS ACRES NATIONAL
RANKING
Forage-land used for
all hay and haylage,
grass silage, and
greenchop
1,850,981 11
Corn for grain 677,268 21
Corn for silage 496,885 3
Soybeans for beans 310,104 24
Vegetables harvested 135,997 9

28. 2012 Census of Agriculture
851
659
583
495 494 494
273
211
169
117 26
Washington Montgomery Saratoga Rensselaer Albany Columbia Greene Fulton Schenectady Warren Hamilton
Number of Farms per County Greater Capital District

29. 2012 Census of Agriculture
85
186
61
48
72
27
21
11
46
11 11
4
1-9 10-49 50-69 70-99 100-139 140-179 180-219 220-259 260-499 500-999 1000-1999 2000 or
more
Number of Farms in Saratoga County by Acres

30. Saratoga County Land Use by farm
Source: USDA 2017 New York State Agriculture Overview
Cropland
56%
Woodland
23%
Pastureland
11%
Other uses
10%
TOP CROPS ACRES STATE
RANKING
Forage-land used for
all hay and haylage,
grass silage, and
greenchop
24,867 11
Corn for silage 6,640 29
Corn for grain 5,383 37
Soybeans for beans 806 35

31. Saratoga County Commodities
Source: USDA 2017 New York State Agriculture Overview
Commodity Dollar Value STATE
RANKING
Nursery Greenhouse, Floriculture,
Sod
8.06 M 6
Poultry + Eggs 9.9 M 8
Horses, Ponies, Mules, Burros +
Donkeys
7.2 M 3
Other animals + animal products 839,000 7

32. 2012 Census of Agriculture
$139,147,000
$86,791,000
$79,968,000
$66,524,000
$53,066,000
$45,957,000
$22,392,000
$9,301,000
$4,161,000 $0 $348,000
Washington Montgomery Saratoga Columbia Rensselaer Albany Greene Fulton Schenectady Warren Hamilton
Agricultural Output per County
Greater Capital District

33. Source: 2012 Census of Agriculture
$498,170,000
$459,476,000
$377,776,000
$304,976,000 $302,103,000
$196,439,000
$160,578,000
$68,620,000 $68,462,000
$3,808,200 $3,788,000
Columbia Washington Saratoga Rensselaer Montgomery Albany Greene Schenectady Fulton Warren Hamilton
Total Market Value of Agriculture Land and Buildings by County
Greater Capital District

34. Agriculture Employment
in Saratoga County
• Total direct farm wages were
$27,184,082 in 2017 in Saratoga
County, according to the
NYS Department of Labor statistics.
Source: NYS Department of Labor

35. Top Agricultural Commodity in
Saratoga County + New York State
DAIRY
• Dairy is the number one agricultural product in
New York State and in Saratoga County
• Ranked 3rd in US for Dairy
• 4,624 dairy farmers statewide
• $2.5 billion - gross income all dairy farmers
• The average gross income per farmer -
$545,131
Source: 2016 NYS Ag + Markets

36. Source: 2012 Census of Agriculture
219
143
115
43
23
13 13 11
Montgomery Wyoming Washington Rensselaer Saratoga Dutchess Columbia Albany
Number of Dairy Farms Selected Counties

37. Source: New York State Agriculture Statistics Service
47,500
35,000
34,500
29,500
28,500
27,500
22,500
22,000
21,000
20,500
19,900
19,700
19,500
18,100
16,400
15,800
15,600
15,300
13,800
13,400
13,300
12,300
10,700
10,500
9,900
9,300
8,700
8,700
8,500
8,500
Number of Dairy Cows per County
Top 30 Counties in New York State
SARATOGA COUNTY
8,500 Dairy Cows
Rank – # 30

38. Source: 2012 Census of Agriculture
14
92
62
68
9 23 25
143
13
40
SCHUYLER CAYUGA LIVINGSTON GENESSEE MONROE SARATOGA NIAGARA WYOMING COLUMBIA TOMPKINS
Top Ten Counties in New York State for Milk sales per farm
Number of Farms

39. Source: 2012 Census of Agriculture
14,884,000
93,678,000
57,678,000
62,963,000
7,257,000
16,277,000
17,594,000
100,730,000
6,490,000
19,024,000
SCHUYLER CAYUGA LIVINGSTON GENESSEE MONROE SARATOGA NIAGARA WYOMING COLUMBIA TOMPKINS
Top Ten Counties in New York State
Milk Sold (lbs)

40. Source: 2012 Census of Agriculture
1,063,000
1,018,000
928,000 926,000
806,000
722,000 704,000 704,000
499,000
476,000
SCHUYLER CAYUGA LIVINGSTON GENESSEE MONROE SARATOGA NIAGARA WYOMING COLUMBIA TOMPKINS
Top Ten Counties in New York State
Value of Milk Sold per Farm

41. Horseracing in Saratoga County
Saratoga Race Course total impact of
2,600 jobs
$101 million in earnings
$237 million in sales in 2014
The sales impact is derived as new
earnings cycle through the economy and
from businesses affected by direct
spending making purchases in the region.
Source: Saratoga County IDA – Camoin Associates 2016

42. Horses in Saratoga County
Land Use
• 64 horse farm parcels
• Represent 11% of all agricultural
parcels in the County
• Horse farms are the fourth most
common type of agricultural property in
the County behind vacant productive
land, field crops and dairy products.
• Horse farm properties in Saratoga
County grew 14% (8 parcels) between
2010 and 2013.
Source: Saratoga County IDA – Camoin Associates 2016

43. Horses in Saratoga County
Land Use
• Horse farm properties total estimated
value of $58.9 million
• Representing one‐third of the entire value
of agricultural land in the County despite
11% of total agriculture acreage
• Cost per acre
• $15,000 per acre compared to $3,400 for other
farms
• Average value
• $880,000 compared to $236,000 for other farms
Source: Saratoga County IDA – Camoin Associates 2016

44. Agriculture in Saratoga County
What is the economic value of all this?
Source: Saratoga Plan
$500 M
$125M in agricultural products and
support services
$83M in total value of commodities sold
$237M direct and indirect spending
attributed to Saratoga Race Course
$378M total market value of agricultural
land and buildings
$59M horse farm value

45. SURVEY RESULTS

46. Source: SCPP Agricultural Survey
Opinion Question
Agriculture as an industry in
Saratoga County remains strong
and generates significant
economic activity, however, the
community should continue to
build creative mechanisms and
provide new incentives for
agricultural collaboration.
82%
12%
6% 0% 0%
STRONGLY
AGREE
AGREE NO OPINION DISAGREE STRONGLY
DISAGREE

47. Source: SCPP Agricultural Survey
Opinion Question
To sustain agricultural
economic growth in
Saratoga County civic
engagement should focus on
exploring new branding
concepts and marketing
campaigns for local farms.
35% 35%
24%
6%
0%
STRONGLY AGREE AGREE NO OPINION DISAGREE STRONGLY
DISAGREE
Responses
OVER 70%

48. Source: SCPP Agricultural Survey
Opinion Question
"Keeping Agriculture in Saratoga
County," the County's Farmland
Protection Plan, serves as an
excellent guide for agricultural
development in the County and the
community should seek ways to
continually implement and update
this plan while providing the
maximum possible technical
assistance to farmers.
65%
29%
6%
0% 0%
STRONGLY AGREE AGREE NO OPINION DISAGREE STRONGLY
DISGREE

49. Source: SCPP Agricultural Survey
0%
71%
6%
24%
0%
VERY
OPTIMISTIC
OPTIMISTIC NEITHER
OPTIMISTIC OR
PESIMISTIC
PESSIMISTIC VERY
PESSIMISTIC
Please describe your overall
outlook on the future of
agriculture in Saratoga County.
Over 70%
Optimistic

50. Agriculture Roundtable – July 18
Discussion with Saratoga County Agriculture leaders
Challenges
• Money simply passes through a farmer’s
hands
• Pressure to preserve working farmland
• Access to energy – or energy alternatives
(like anaerobic digesters)
Opportunities
• Create value added products
• Attract the next generation of farmers
• Collaborative marketing
• New market development