The New York State Common Retirement Fund has a powerful, far-reaching impact on the economy of New York State.

Farms are an essential and diverse part of New York State’s economy, contributing significantly to employment, incomes and tax revenues across the Empire State.

Six years after the end of the Great Recession, economic growth continues across the United States and in New York. The State has enjoyed four consecutive calendar years of comparatively steady job gains after suffering a recessionary decline in 2009 and only slight growth in 2010.

New York offers a wide variety of sporting opportunities for the almost two million men and women who hunt, fish and trap in the State. More than 90 percent of New Yorkers who engage in these activities participate in fishing or in both hunting and fishing, while 9 percent participate in hunting exclusively.

Small businesses play a big role in the New York State economy.

An economic recession, as the old saying goes, is when your neighbor becomes unemployed—and a depression is when it happens to you. A similar logic applies to economic recoveries: whatever the experts may say about the national outlook, most of us are especially concerned about good jobs and good wages in our own communities.

President John F. Kennedy described the United States of America as “a nation of immigrants.” The contributions of these individuals have been vitally important to the economy, society and culture of New York State, and of our entire nation.

Nonprofit organizations, large and small, provide a multitude of diverse services in health care, education, the arts and other sectors throughout New York State.

How is the economy treating New Yorkers? Monthly governmental reports on employment tell us how many jobs have been added or lost, and which industrial sectors are expanding or shrinking.

New York City is undergoing its largest and longest job expansion since World War II. More than 700,000 jobs have been added during the past eight years (a gain of nearly 19 percent), pushing employment to uncharted levels.