The competitiveness of food and beverage manufacturing establishments in New York relative to other areas of the United States is of growing concern, and policy makers are increasingly looking towards agriculturally based opportunities to better take advantage of the large and diverse agricultural production sectors. Between 1997 and 2007, U.S. food and beverage manufacturing sales grew 38.3% (in nominal terms), while over the same time period sales by New York food and beverage manufacturers grew by less than half of that amount . While growth in food and beverage manufacturing in New York State has languished behind national growth rates, food and beverage manufacturing performance within the state has been particularly strong relative to other manufacturing sectors. In particular, sales for all manufacturing in New York grew by less than 11% between 1997 and 2007. Value added contributions increased by over 50% in food manufacturing in the state, compared with only 7% in all manufacturing combined.