ALBANY — New York is now the cream on top of the country’s yogurt production.

New York producers churned out 692 million pounds of yogurt last year to take the top spot, according to state statistics released yesterday. California was No. 2 after producing 587 million pounds.

New York yogurt plants have nearly tripled production in the last five years — the same span that saw milk production rise by 1 billion pounds to more than 13 billion, making it the nation’s fourth largest milk producer.

Gov. Cuomo has lifted some environmental-protection regulations regarding cattle waste that will allow dairy farms to produce even more milk this year. Farmers will be able to milk more cows without having to build substantially larger barns — a measure approved after a “yogurt summit” Cuomo held last August with yogurt manufacturers and farmers.

“These regulations will benefit farmers, the rural economy and the yogurt industry and help preserve agricultural land as open spaces, all while continuing to protect the state’s water resources,” said New York state Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens.

“Duplicative regulations that made farmers go through two separate processes to reach the same end are now eliminated without sacrificing environmental protection.”