Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting or processing (or both) of animal milk – mostly from cows or buffaloes, but also from goats, sheep, horses, or camels – for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on ...
is a significant part of the
agricultural output of the state of
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
. New York ranks forth out of the fifty states in
dairy production
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting or processing (or both) of animal milk – mostly from cows or buffaloes, but also from goats, sheep, horses, or camels – for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a ...
. The state's nearly 4,000 dairy farms annually produce over 15 billion pounds of milk.
History
During the colonial era,
dairy cows
Dairy cattle (also called dairy cows) are cattle bred for the ability to produce large quantities of milk, from which dairy products are made. Dairy cattle generally are of the species ''Bos taurus''.
Historically, little distinction was mad ...
were an important part of every family farm. Their milk was turned into butter and cheese, making them an important part of the diet as they could be stored easily.
At the end of the 19th century, with the population of the state rapidly expanding, farms began to focus entirely on dairy. Farms became larger operations that shipped their products to cities in their regions on railroad. With the advent of
refrigeration
The term refrigeration refers to the process of removing heat from an enclosed space or substance for the purpose of lowering the temperature.International Dictionary of Refrigeration, http://dictionary.iifiir.org/search.phpASHRAE Terminology, ht ...
and strict food safety laws, fresh unadulterated milk could easily be purchased by all classes.
Today, dairy farming is concentrated in
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is a geographic region consisting of the area of New York State that lies north and northwest of the New York City metropolitan area. Although the precise boundary is debated, Upstate New York excludes New York City and Long Is ...
.
See also
*
Swill milk scandal
The swill milk scandal was a major adulterated food scandal in New York in the 1850s. ''The New York Times'' reported an estimate that in one year 8,000 infants died from swill milk.
Name
''Swill milk'' referred to milk from cows fed swill whi ...
References
{{Dairy industry in the United States
Milk
Economy of New York (state)
Agriculture in New York (state)
Dairy farming in the United States