<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-23
<SEQUENCE>5
<FILENAME>e231s-3071904.txt
<TEXT>
                                  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 967,742 shares of its  Convertible
Preferred  Stock Series 2003 and 967,742  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
July 16, 2004

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
