CROGHAN — U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer on Tuesday pledged to seek funding for a proposed statewide maple syrup packaging and distribution center in Lewis County, if it is deemed feasible.

"You folks have shown tremendous foresight," Mr. Schumer, D-N.Y., told Lewis County officials during a stop at the American Maple Museum on Main Street. "My pledge is I will do everything I can to get federal funding to build this plant."

That could come through funding for specialty crops in the federal Farm Bill, money for Cornell University, Ithaca, or a federal earmark, he said.

While New York has potential to be the leader in maple syrup production, it lags behind Quebec and Vermont and imports four times the syrup that it exports, Mr. Schumer said. A centralized bottling plant would not only provide jobs locally but also encourage increased maple production through mass marketing of syrup to grocery store chains and large institutions.

"This will give our syrup, which we believe is the best in the world, a leg up or at least an even playing field," Mr. Schumer said.

Quebec has nine maple bottling facilities, while Vermont has two large ones and New Hampshire has one, Michael L. Farrell, director of the Uihlein Sugar Maple Research and Extension Field Station at Lake Placid, told the senator.

Such a facility should be located in Lewis County, since it produces the most maple syrup in the state, has a strong work force and is well-positioned geographically, Mr. Schumer said. Much of the state's syrup is produced in the north country, and syrup could be shipped internationally via the St. Lawrence River, he said.

Michele E. Ledoux, executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Lewis County, first suggested the bottling plant project in January.

The county Legislature last month agreed to contract with Cornell University's Office of Sponsored Programs, Ithaca, to conduct a product supply study and with Development Services, Auburn, to conduct a feasibility study. The $86,789 for the studies is to come from the county's economic development projects fund.

Lewis County, through the efforts of state Sen. Joseph A. Griffo, R-Rome, already has been awarded $100,000 through the state Dormitory Authority for implementation costs such as engineering, construction and equipment.

Mr. Schumer also pledged to seek federal funding for an ongoing $350,000 handicapped accessibility project at the maple museum. He also touted legislation that would create a grant program to encourage private landowners to open their land to maple tapping. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture.

Mr. Schumer said he is working to double the appropriation for the Home Energy Assistance Program and increase funding for water and sewer upgrades. He also suggested the military presence in Iraq should be winding down, said he had a good time at last week's Democratic national convention and withheld an opinion on Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin until he can determine "if she's qualified to be a heartbeat away from being president."

Before the Croghan visit, Mr. Schumer spent the morning in Old Forge.