Pennetta: Well-drained glacial soil, maritime climate and proximity to markets

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The mind may not immediately conjure images of farming when one thinks of Long Island. Other than the LI Ducks references, and pumpkin and strawberry picking family outings, Long Islanders never really consider the region’s farming industry. Farms which are most frequented by residents are the so-called “fun farms” that feature peach pies, ice cream and rides; maybe a corn stalk maze to run through. The closest Long Islanders get to making a real connection is perhaps by driving past a sod farm after seeing someone installing a brand-new sod lawn. Otherwise, there is an apparent disconnect in the understanding of our food chain; food doesn’t originate from the refrigerator or even the grocery store. Farming is an impactful industry on Long Island occupying 34,486 agricultural acres. One astounding statistic: Suffolk County is No. 1 in agricultural cash sales in all of New York State! Nassau, Suffolk, Queens and Kings counties, none of which you need to cross a bridge or tunnel to distribute to, total more than $380.3 million annually and accounts for approximately 5,000 farm jobs, according to 2022 Census of Agriculture-County Data.

Failing to recognize the value of Long Island’s agricultural output may jeopardize its future sustainability. From a Webster’s Dictionary standpoint, the “highest and best value” for land is not farming, if you are only considering sales price, which is the usual barometer. Additional benefits come from plants and crops capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it underground in relatively stable forms of organic matter. This is one means of climate change mitigation through what they call “carbon sequestration.” There are certain farming systems focused on the improvement of soil-health, and they do a particularly good job of carbon sequestration. If this type of “climate-action farming” could continually be implemented, it would be of great benefit for society.

Long Islanders need food not only for sustenance but also for national security and independence from global markets and conflicts. The recent logistics boom has evidenced that Long Island—along with Brooklyn and Queens—enjoys a population of 8.2 million residents. While Long Island is bit of a cul-de-sac from a north-east roadway and distribution perspective, there are still plenty of local residents to support and foster farming of daily produce. There is a wider positive multiplier effect: Long Island’s agricultural production adds $4.7 billion to the local economy through agritourism. Who hasn’t been to a wedding or party bus celebrating birthdays at one or more of our LI wineries, or brought your children to pick pumpkins, ride ponies and enjoy hayrides. More recently, the increase in online grocery shopping/delivery adoption has created a mini boom in the development of cold storage warehouses in our region, another contributor to the local economy.

Fostering farming and preserving agriculture as an essential industry, preserving the quality of life, and generating economic activity to sustain complementary industries such as tourism necessitates the following actions. Purchasing development rights to unprotected farmland and adding new farmland to the farmland preservation supply are essential. Also incentivizing farmers to use best management practices to protect ground and surface waters, prevent erosion and increase resilience to retaining the expertise required for farming. Farming strengthens community identity and contributes to economic development. Additionally, farming practices and traditional agricultural knowledge can be a significant part of a region’s cultural heritage.

We need farming for consumption and for national security. Farming is integral to supporting local economies, preserving cultural heritage and promoting sustainable land management. Farming not only feeds us, but also employs thousands of farm workers and collectively generating over $5 billion in sales and agritourism.  When you ask for locally sourced produce, you want it from your neighborhood rather than from around the globe. Plus, it gives us an excuse to dust off those cowboy boots and go for a hayride.

David Pennetta is co-president of the Commercial Industrial Brokers Society, current Huntington Planning Board member and an executive managing director of the Long Island office of Cushman & Wakefield.