Agriculture is a critical component of Wyoming County's economy and communities. Farms in Wyoming County annually sell almost $180 million of farm products and help grow other local businesses. Wyoming County farms are rural manufacturers exporting their goods outside the county that return dollars to support other local businesses. The county is the nation's 21st largest producer of dairy products and by far the largest dairy producing county in New York.  Wyoming County undertook the task of developing an agricultural development and farmland protection plan to ensure that farming and farmers would continue to play a strong role in the county's economy and communities. Like every industry, agriculture needs active support to remain viable, establish new market opportunities, and continue its competitiveness with a growing array of national and international rivals.