New York Now Third Largest Milk Producer in the Country

News from the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo:

New York state has passed Idaho and is now the third largest producer of milk in the entire country.

Data just released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirms that this is the first time since 2009 that New York has ranked third nationally in milk production after previously holding the number 3 spot from 1972 to 2009. It bypassed Idaho in 2013 by 57 million pounds of milk produced.

Compared to 2012, New York’s milk production increased by 2.2 percent in 2013, compared to growth of 0.4 percent nationwide. This strong growth represents the fourth consecutive year that New York has registered an increase in milk production. 

This growth is due to increased demand for milk, thanks in large part to the state’s booming yogurt industry, coupled with higher milk production per cow which increased by 10.2 percent from 2009 to 2013. New York is also the number one producer of cream cheese and cottage cheese in the country. 

“Milk production is fueling thousands of jobs across Upstate New York, revitalizing communities and providing a variety of nutritious products for millions of consumers across the country," Cuomo said. "This year, we will continue working together to grow our thriving agricultural sector, and I congratulate New York’s dairy industry on this achievement.”

The dairy industry is New York’s leading agricultural sector, accounting for more than one-half of the state’s total agricultural receipts. The increased milk supply has been very important in helping to meet the tremendous growth in the production of yogurt by plants located in New York state. 

In 2012, New York’s yogurt production was 695 million pounds. Compared to 2007, at 234 million pounds, production has nearly tripled. As a result, New York became the number one producer of yogurt in the country in 2012. 2013 data is not yet available.