VERMONT — Although dairy plays a big part in Vermont agriculture, and indeed in the economy and character of the Green Mountain State, dairy in Vermont plays a small role in the nationwide picture for milk, butter and cheese production. That’s the word from King Whetstone, Regional Director of the Northeast Regional Field Office of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, in a recent Northeast dairy products summary.

Whetstone’s statistics do show that Vermont is ahead of another state in the Northeast region — New Jersey — in production of cheese.

Total U.S. cheese production for 2020, excluding cottage cheeses, was 13.3 billion pounds, 0.9% above 2019 production. Wisconsin was the leading state with 25.6% of the production. Butter production in the United States during 2020 totaled 2.15 billion pounds, 7.6% above 2019. California was the leading state in butter production with 31.1% of the production.

VERMONT

Total cheese production in Vermont, excluding cottage cheese, was 147 million pounds, 1% above 2019 production. Cheddar cheese production during 2020 totaled 101 million pounds, down 523,000 pounds from the previous year.

NEW YORK

Total cheese production in New York, excluding cottage cheese, was 870 million pounds, 5% above 2019 production. American type cheese production totaled 144 million pounds, 1% above 2019 and accounted for 17% of total cheese in 2020. Italian varieties, with 363 million pounds, were 2% above 2019 production and accounted for 42% of total cheese in 2020. Mozzarella accounted for 50% of the Italian production, at 183 million pounds, 3% below 2019.

Creamed cottage cheese production totaled 102 million pounds, up 6% from the previous year. Low-fat cottage cheese production totaled 95.5 million pounds, 2% above the 2019 production total.

Sour cream production during 2020 totaled 264 million pounds, 2% below last year. Butter production during 2020 totaled 23.9 million pounds, down 10% from 2019. Yogurt production during 2020 totaled 724 million pounds, up 7% from the previous year. New York accounted for 16% of the United States production.

Production of regular (hard) ice cream totaled 26.6 million gallons, up 4% from 2019. Ice cream mix production totaled 15.1 million gallons, 4% above 2019.

PENNSYLVANIA

Total cheese production in Pennsylvania, excluding cottage cheese, was 434 million pounds, up 1% from 2019. Italian varieties, with 261 million pounds, were 1% below 2019 production and accounted for 60% of total cheese in 2020. Mozzarella accounted for 83% of the Italian production, at 217 million pounds, 3% below 2019. Swiss cheese production was 7.24 million pounds, 10% below 2019 production.

Sour cream production during 2020 totaled 1.98 million pounds, up 25% from last year. Butter production during 2020 totaled 97.4 million pounds, up 7% from 2019. Pennsylvania accounted for 5% of the U.S. production. Nonfat dry milk (human) production totaled 184 million pounds, up 2% from the previous year.

Hard ice cream production totaled 42.7 million gallons, up 5% from 2019. Ice cream mix production totaled 28.6 million gallons, 29% above 2019. Low-fat ice cream production, at 8.76 million gallons, was 1% above the 2019 production level. Ice cream mix, low-fat production totaled 5.28 million gallons, 1% above 2019. Sherbet mix production was down 3% in 2020, at 674,000 gallons.

NEW JERSEY

Total cheese production in New Jersey, excluding cottage cheese, was 61.2 million pounds, 6% above 2019 production.

Ice cream, regular (hard) production totaled 1.07 million gallons, down 2% from 2019. Ice cream mix, regular production totaled 4.20 million gallons, unchanged from the previous year.

For more dairy statistics, head online to nass.usda.gov.