Brian Nearing reports in the Albany Times-Union that State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said March 3 that New York's farm economy had a recent revenue jump of more than 22 percent in the past five years to $5.4 billion in annual sales. The comptroller's report said farm income after expenses was $1.2 billion in 2012, a increase of nearly 3 percent in the five-year period beginning in 2007. The amount of farmland has grew slightly from 2007-2012, but there were fewer farms, and the average age of a farmer increased to 55 years old. Farm Bureau President Dean Norton said the report proved "the unmistakable conclusion that agriculture is a cornerstone of our rural economy." New York ranks first in the nation in the production of yogurt, cottage cheese, and sour cream, and third in milk. The Capital Region has about 3,500 farms occupying about 587,000 acres, according to the paper. Read the full story in the Albany Times-Union.