Dairying in New York
New York is one of the nation's largest dairy states, ranked third for production of dairy products behind California and Wisconsin. More than half of the state's agriculture income comes from the dairy industry.
About a third of the milk produced by New York dairy producers is used for drinking. The balance is used for processed dairy foods such as cheese, yogurt, butter and ice cream. New York is the country's leading producer of cottage cheese and ranks third for cheese.
There are about 5,400 dairy farms in New York, with an average herd size of 113 cows. Like most dairy farms in this country, they are primarily family-owned and family-operated.
The characteristics of New York dairy farms are as varied as the terrain in New York, ranging from small herds that are grazed on pasture several months a year to large herds that are raised in confinement operations.
Registered Jerseys in New York
In 2022, Jersey breeders from the Empire State registered more than 4,500 animals with the AJCA, ranking the state seventh in the nation for registrations.
Though most New York Jersey breeders sell their milk to a cooperative, many sell their milk direct to consumers as bottled milk or as cheese and other dairy products. Jersey milk is especially well-suited to these endeavors because it has more protein, calcium and butterfat than average milk.
Click here to visit the website for NAJ, to learn more about the differences between Jersey milk and other milk.
Peruse our website to learn more about Registered Jerseys in New York.