Exhibit 23.1


            Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We  consent to the  reference  to our firm under the  caption  "Experts"  in the
Registration Statement (Form S-3 No. 333-XXXXX) and related Prospectus of Seneca
Foods  Corporation  for the  registration  of 633,000 shares of its  Convertible
Preferred  Stock  and  633,000  shares  of its  Class A Common  Stock and to the
incorporation by reference therein of our report dated May 26, 2004 with respect
to  the   consolidated   financial   statements  of  Seneca  Foods   Corporation
incorporated  by reference  in its Annual  Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended
March 31, 2004 and of our report dated June 11, 2004 with respect to the related
financial  statement  schedule included  therein,  filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.


                                                     /s/Ernst & Young LLP

Buffalo, New York
December 2, 2004