La-Press-Release Louisiana Field Office 5825 Florida Blvd. Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70806 Phone: (225) 922-1362 PRESS RELEASE On: October 1 Crop Report For Information Contact: Terry Mathews For Immediate Release: October 12, 2005 1-800-256-4485 Louisiana Crop Prospects Remain Strong Despite Two Hurricanes Louisiana took a huge one-two punch from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, with substantial damage to cropland and livestock occurring throughout the state. The state’s sugarcane crop took solid hits from both hurricanes, but most row crop harvests were well underway by the time Rita hit, and that fact may have saved much of the state’s production. “Cropland acres in the southern parishes were under salt water, and that may cause damage to next year’s crop production,” according to Nathan Crisp, Director of the Louisiana Agricultural Statistics Service. Thanks to an early harvest, record or near-record yields are expected from Louisiana’s sorghum and rice crops in 2005. Although the early season got off to a slow start, the hot, dry weather allowed farmers to catch up with the normal harvesting schedule for most crops. Louisiana’s cotton production is expected to total 1.10 million bales, down 4 percent from last month but up 24 percent from 2004. Acreage expected for harvest is 600,000 acres. The expected yield per acre, at 880 pounds, is down 40 pounds from last month but up 13 pounds from 2004. If realized, this will be the second largest yield in the state’s history. Upland cotton production for the U.S. is forecast at 22.0 million bales, down 2 percent from last year. Louisiana rice production is forecast at 30.7 million cwt, unchanged from the September 1 estimate but up 8 percent from 2004. Rice acreage for harvest is forecast at 525,000 acres. Yield per acre is forecast at 5,850 pounds, unchanged from last month but up 500 pounds from last year. If realized, this would be the second highest yield on record, behind only the 2003 crop which had an average yield of 5,870 pounds per acre. U.S. rice production is forecast at 223 million cwt, down 3 percent from last year. The Louisiana sugarcane crop is estimated at 10.01 million net tons, down 8 percent from the previous month and down 10 percent from last year. Acreage expected for harvest (sugar and seed) is 455,000 acres. Yield is forecast at 22 net tons per acre, down 8 percent from the September 1 estimate and down 1.8 tons from 2004. This will be the lowest net tonnage per acre since 1990, when the state produced 20.6 net tons per acre. U.S. production of sugarcane for sugar and seed in 2005 is forecast at 30.2 million net tons, 4 percent above last year. Soybean production is expected to total 28.6 million bushels in Louisiana, down 5 percent from the September 1 estimate, and down 12 percent from a year ago. Acreage of soybeans expected for harvest was revised to 840,000 acres, down 20,000 acres from the June 1 estimate. Yield is forecast at 34 bushels per acre, down 1 bushel from the previous month, but up 1 bushel from 2004. U.S. soybean production is forecast at 2.97 billion bushels, down 5 percent from 2004. Louisiana’s corn production is forecast at 46.2 million bushels, down 6 percent from the previous month, and down 17 percent from 2004. Estimated production is down from last month as harvested acreage was revised, from 350,000 acres to 330,000 acres. Yield per acre, at 140 bushels, is unchanged from last month but up 5 bushels from a year ago. U.S. corn production is forecast at 10.9 billion bushels, down 8 percent from 2004. Sorghum production is estimated at 8.50 million bushels in the state, compared to 5.20 million bushels last year. Sorghum harvested acreage was revised to 85,000 acres, down 10,000 acres from the June 1 estimate. Yield is forecast at 100 bushels per acre, up 5 bushels from the previous month and up 35 bushels from 2004. If realized, this will be the record high yield for the state. U.S. production for sorghum is forecast at 375 million bushels, down 18 percent from 2004. Louisiana production of all hay is estimated at 1.0 million tons, unchanged from the August 1 estimate but down 10 percent from a year ago. Acreage for harvest is forecast at 400,000 acres, up 30,000 acres from 2004. Yield, at 2.5 tons per acre, is expected to be down 0.5 ton from last year’s record yield. U.S all hay production is forecast at 153 million tons, down 3 percent from 2004. Louisiana’s pecan production is forecasted at 4.0 million pounds, compared to 9.0 million pounds last year. U.S. all pecan production is forecast at 289 million pounds, up 55 percent from 2004.