A new report from New York state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli finds that farms generated $5.7 billion for the state’s economy in 2017.
The report released Thursday found that milk continues to dominate as the state’s largest single commodity, with $2.5 billion in sales in 2017.
While New York is the nation’s third biggest milk producer based on sales, the state ranks as No. 1 when it comes to yogurt, cottage cheese and sour cream.
According to the report, New York had more than 33,000 farms in 2017 that employed 55,000 people.
DiNapoli, a Democrat, says the numbers highlight the economic importance that agriculture plays in the state.
While total acreage has declined in recent years, net farm income was up 20 percent since 2017.