New York State has reclaimed its spot as the third largest producer of milk in the country.

At the same time, the number of farms in New York continues to decline, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is compiling data from the 2012 Census of Agriculture.

New York passed Idaho in 2013 by 57 million pounds.

Data from the U.S.D.A. confirms that this is the first time since 2009 that New York has ranked third nationally in milk production after previously holding the number three spot from 1972 to 2009.

While there has been significant growth in the agriculture industry in the state, the latest USDA report indicates that over the five years from 2007 to 2012, the state lost, on average, three farms per week, mostly among smaller operations.

New York had 35,538 farms in 2012, the time of the most recent census, compared with 36,352 in 2005, when the last census was done. That’s a decline of 814 farms.

But New York’s milk production grew in 2013 more than five times faster than in the nation as a whole.

Compared to 2012, New York’s milk production increased by 2.2 percent in 2013, compared to 0.4 percent growth 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, according to a press release from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office.

New York is also the number one producer of cream cheese and cottage cheese in the country.

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 meeting the growth in the production of yogurt by plants 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.