MONTPELIER, Vt. — Officials say Vermont has produced a record amount of maple syrup this past year, thanks to an extended season with low temperatures and more people getting into the business or expanding their operations.

Vermont is by far the country’s largest producer of maple syrup. U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics show the state yielded 1.9 million gallons this year, up from 1.4 million gallons last year.

New York was second with 707,000 gallons, followed by Maine, Wisconsin and New Hampshire.

Overall, the country produced 4.2 million gallons.

Maple syrup retails for an average of about $48 to $52 per gallon.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture’s maple specialist says the number of taps in trees in Vermont has jumped from a million about 15 years ago to nearly 5 million now.