The New York State Assembly passed a resolution today, sponsored by Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush, marking June as Dairy Month. The assemblyman is the ranking minority member on the Assembly Agriculture Committee.

“I am committed to supporting our state’s dairy farmers and the agriculture industry as a whole,” the assemblyman said. “Here in New York state, we are proud to be the 3rd largest dairy producing state in the country and home to several large dairy manufacturing facilities, including Great Lakes Cheese in Adams and Kraft in Lowville—both of which are in my district.”

New York state has 5,799 dairy farms and 611,000 cows. In 2010, New York dairy cows produced 12 billion gallons of milk, or 20, 807 gallons per cow. The direct sales value of that milk is $2.2 billion, and the total value of farm receipts, distribution and processing is approximately $10 billion annually statewide and $50 billion annually regionally. New York state is third in the nation in dairy production, behind only California and Wisconsin, and is also third in the nation in the production of Italian and mozzarella cheeses.

“While New York state’s dairy farms are diverse, all dairy farmers share a passion for their livelihoods and in producing healthy, nutritious dairy products for people of all ages to enjoy. Here in New York, we are fortunate to have thousands of dedicated farm families working day in and day out to put food on our table,” the assemblyman added.

In celebration of Dairy Month, the assemblyman and Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb will be hosting Dairy Day in the Capitol on June 7th from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. in the Well of the Legislative Office Building.