ne-agri-facts NEBRASKA AGRI-FACTS Issued Twice Monthly by: NEBRASKA Agricultural Statistics Service P.O. Box 81069 Location: 273 Federal Bldg Lincoln, NE 68501 Phone: (402) 437-5541 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nebraska Department of Agriculture USDA, National Ag Statistics Service Merlyn Carlson, Director David G. Loos, State Statistician ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Issue 04/2000 Released: 2/22/00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cattle on Feed Sheep Inventory Crop Values Milk Production Potato Stocks Supply & Disappearance Annual Chicken & Eggs Farm Labor & Wages NEBRASKA CATTLE ON FEED UP 10% FROM A YEAR AGO Nebraska cattle feeders, with a capacity of 1,000+ head, had 2.37 million cattle on feed for slaughter markets on February 1. This inventory was up 10% from last year and February 1, 1998. Placements into these feedlots during January totaled 500,000 head, up 11% from last year and 28% above two years ago. Fed cattle marketings for the month of January totaled 420,000 head, up 5% from both last year and two years ago. Other disappearance during January totaled 10,000 head compared with 10,000 head during January 1999 and 10,000 head during January 1998. CATTLE ON FEED IN HISTORIC 7 STATES UP 11% Cattle on feed February 1, 2000 in the historic seven monthly States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 9.89 million, up 11% from the previous year and 8% above 1998. Placements in feedlots during January totaled 1.93 million, 15% above 1999 and 29% above 1998. Marketings during January totaled 1.75 million, 1% above a year ago and 3% above 1998. Other disappearance during January was 51,000 head, 9% above last year but 35% below 1998. U.S. CATTLE ON FEED UP 10% FROM A YEAR AGO Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.58 million head on February 1, 2000. Placements in feedlots during January totaled 2.23 million, 15% above 1999 and 29% above 1998. Net placements were 2.16 million. During January, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 494,000, 600-699 pounds were 696,000, 700-799 pounds were 654,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 382,000. Marketings of fed cattle during January totaled 2.05 million, 1% above 1999 and 3%above 1998. Other disappearance totaled 69,000 during January, 1% below 1999 and 30% below 1998. CATTLE ON FEED: INVENTORIES, PLACEMENTS, MARKETINGS & OTHER DISAPPEARANCE, 1,000+ CAPACITY FEEDLOTS FEBRUARY 1 JANUARY JANUARY JANUARY NUMBER ON FEED 1/ PLACEMENTS MARKETINGS OTHER DISAPPEAR. 2/ 2000/ 2000/ 2000/ 2000/ 1999 2000 1999 1999 2000 1999 1999 2000 1999 1999 2000 1999 STATE 1,000 head % 1,000 head % 1,000 head % 1,000 head % Arizona* 202 275 136 25 29 116 28 24 86 1 2 200 Californi a * 385 415 108 45 57 127 55 50 91 5 7 140 Colorado *1,140 1,200 105 260 290 112 250 260 104 10 10 100 Idaho 270 300 111 50 66 132 55 70 127 10 6 60 Iowa * 350 385 110 56 60 107 40 48 120 1 2 200 Kansas * 2,030 2,340 115 420 520 124 490 480 98 10 10 100 Nebraska *2,150 2,370 110 450 500 111 400 420 105 10 10 100 New Mexico 113 113 100 12 10 83 16 13 81 1 0 0 Oklahoma 385 430 112 60 72 120 80 67 84 5 5 100 So. Dakota 184 200 109 31 38 123 30 30 100 1 2 200 Texas * 2,660 2,900 109 425 475 112 475 465 98 10 10 100 Washington 195 211 108 37 45 122 37 59 159 4 3 75 Other Sts 445 445 100 62 64 103 65 62 95 2 2 100 U. S 10,509 11,584 110 1,933 2,226 115 2,021 2,04 8101 70 69 99 1/ Cattle and calves on feed are animals for slaughter market being fed a ration of grain or other concentrates and are expected to produce a carcass that will grade select or better. 2/ Includes death losses, movement from feedlots to pastures and shipments to other feedlots for further feeding. * Historic 7 states. SHEEP AND LAMBS: NUMBER BY CLASS JANUARY 1 AND LAMB CROP NEBRASKA UNITED STATES 2000/ 2000/ Class 1998 1999 2000 1999 1998 1999 2000 1999 1,000 head Percent 1,000 head Percent All sheep and lambs 100 105 102 97 7,825 7,215 7,026 97 Market 16 17 14 82 2,214 1,916 1,863 97 Breeding sheep and lambs 84 88 88 100 5,611 5,299 5,163 97 Replacement lambs 10 11 12 109 839 774 730 94 Ewes 1 yr. old and older 71 73 72 99 4,570 4,322 4,228 98 Rams 1 yr. old and older 3 4 4 100 203 203 206 101 1997 1998 1999 1999/ 1997 1998 1999 1999/ 1998 1998 Lamb crop 1/ 95 96 98 102 5,361 5,007 4,719 94 1/ Lamb crop is defined as lambs born in the Native States and lambs docked or branded in the Western States. CROPS -- MARKETING YEAR AVERAGE PRICE AND VALUE OF PRODUCTION, NEBRASKA & UNITED STATES, 1997-1999 Crop Prod. Price Value of Production Unit 1997 1998 1999 1997 1998 1999 NEBRASKA --- Dollars ---- --------- 1,000 dollars -------- Corn for Grain Bu. 2.32 1.88 1.85 2,633,664 2,330,730 2,134,345 Sorghum for Grain Bu. 2.15 1.68 1.65 130,613 94,752 70,571 Oats Bu. 1.79 1.19 1.00 10,472 6,331 4,650 Barley Bu. 2.20 1.80 1.40 1,010 720 202 All Wheat Bu. 3.20 2.54 2.30 224,960 210,312 198,720 Winter Wheat Bu. 3.20 2.54 2.30 224,960 210,312 198,720 Rye Bu. 3.60 1.80 1.40 864 518 504 Soybeans Bu. 6.28 4.83 4.60 902,907 796,950 830,875 Dry Edible Beans Cwt. 18.80 18.00 17.10 69,710 65,988 63,954 All Hay (baled) Ton 76.00 48.50 37.00 485,941 363,150 275,815 Alfalfa Hay (baled) Ton 79.50 49.50 38.00 335,888 259,875 196,840 All Other Hay (baled) Ton 58.50 42.50 32.50 150,053 103,275 78,975 All Potatoes Cwt. 6.15 4.95 6.80 57,517 48,511 71,442 Sugar Beets Ton 35.60 35.20 NA 36,063 32,877 NA Sunflower (all) Cwt. 12.70 10.80 9.45 7,541 9,086 10,954 Sunflower (oil) Cwt. 10.30 9.50 7.50 2,843 4,476 4,759 Sunflower (non-oil) Cwt. 15.00 13.60 11.80 4,698 4,610 6,195 UNITED STATES Corn for Grain Bu. 2.43 1.94 1.90 22,351,507 18,922,084 17,949,707 Sorghum for Grain Bu. 2.21 1.66 1.65 1,408,909 905,468 970,966 Oats Bu. 1.60 1.10 1.10 273,284 199,748 169,873 Barley Bu. 2.38 1.98 2.05 861,620 686,517 552,941 All Wheat Bu. 3.38 2.65 2.55 8,286,741 6,780,623 5,903,501 Winter Wheat Bu. 3.23 2.52 2.40 5,948,655 4,740,361 4,059,968 Rye Bu. 3.75 2.49 2.28 30,120 30,404 25,054 Soybeans Bu. 6.47 4.93 4.75 17,372,628 13,493,891 12,451,149 Dry Edible Beans Cwt. 19.30 19.00 17.60 576,658 567,243 587,857 All Hay (baled) Ton 100.00 84.60 77.00 13,249,825 11,606,734 10,889,893 Alfalfa Hay (baled) Ton 107.00 88.10 80.00 8,099,822 6,951,140 6,254,082 All Other Hay (baled) Ton 75.70 71.80 66.30 5,150,003 4,655,594 4,645,811 All Potatoes Cwt. 5.64 5.56 5.84 2,622,621 2,633,198 2,782,762 Sugar Beets Ton 38.80 36.40 NA 1,160,029 1,181,494 NA Sunflower (all) Cwt. 11.60 10.20 8.00 426,766 536,971 353,472 Sunflower (oil) Cwt. 11.00 9.45 6.86 329,858 423,775 239,986 Sunflower (non-oil) Cwt. 14.30 14.40 13.40 96,908 113,196 113,486 NOTE: All prices in this report are marketing year average prices which do not include allowances or adjustments for: commodities under government loan at the end of the marketing year; commodities forfeited to the Commodity Credit Corporation; or crop deficiency and disaster payments. Estimates shown for 1999 crops are preliminary. NA -- Not Available. JANUARY MILK PRODUCTION Milk production in the 20 major States during January totaled 12.2 billion pounds, up 4.7% from production in these same States in January 1999. Production per cow in the 20 major States averaged 1,576 pounds for January, 58 pounds above January 1999. The number of cows on farms in the 20 major States was 7.76 million head, 69,000 head more than January 1999 and 6,000 head more than December 1999. ANNUAL MILK PRODUCTION Milk production for 1999 in Nebraska totaled 1.14 billion pounds, up 8% from 1.05 billion pounds a year earlier. Number of milk cows, at 74,000 head, was up 4,000 head from a year ago, while milk per cow, at 15,392 pounds, was up 392 pounds from a year earlier. United States annual milk production totaled 162.7 billion pounds, 3.4% above 1998. This was the third consecutive year of increased milk production and a new record high. Milk cow numbers, at 9.16 million head, were down slightly from 1998. Production per cow averaged 17,771 pounds for 1999, 582 pounds above 1998. Milk production for 1999 in the 20 major States totaled 140.0 billion pounds up 4% from 1998. Milk cow numbers were set at 7.73 million up slightly from 1998. Production per cow totaled 18,103 pounds up 602 pounds from the previous year. POTATO STOCKS Potato stocks in the 15 States totaled 206 million cwt. on February 1, 2000, down 2% from a year earlier and 3% below two years ago. 1999 POTATO CROP State Production Total Stocks Feb. 1, 2000 Thousand cwt. California 4,005 2,200 Colorado 25,762 15,100 Idaho 133,330 76,500 Maine 17,813 11,300 Michigan 14,963 5,800 Minnesota 18,020 7,100 Montana 3,325 3,000 NEBRASKA 8,904 3,250 New York 6,758 1,500 North Dakota 26,400 10,500 Ohio 987 80 Oregon 28,020 18,600 Pennsylvania 3,080 850 Washington 95,200 35,000 Wisconsin 34,000 15,000 TOTAL 15 STATES 420,567 205,780 U.S. GRAINS SUPPLY AND DISAPPEARANCE OUTLOOK MARKET YEAR --------SUPPLY------------ DISAPPEARANCE 1/* Market CROP Begin- --Domestic-- Year Average YEAR Pro- ning Im- Total Primary Ex- Total Ending Market duction stocks ports Use 2/ Other ports Stocks* Price ---------------------Million bushels--------------------- $/bu. CORN: 1997/98 9,207 883 9 10,099 5,505 1,782 1,504 8,791 1,308 2.43 1998/99 9,759 1,308 19 11,085 5,496 1,822 1,981 9,298 1,787 1.94 1999/00 9,437 1,787 15 11,239 5,650 1,900 1,950 9,500 1,739 1.75-2.05 SOYBEANS: 1997/98 2,689 132 5 2,826 1,597 156 873 2,626 200 6.47 1998/99 2,741 200 3 2,944 1,590 205 801 2,595 348 4.93 1999/00 2,643 348 3 2,994 1,600 159 890 2,649 345 4.50-5.00 WHEAT: 1997/98 2,481 444 95 3,020 914 343 1,040 2,298 722 3.38 1998/99 2,547 722 103 3,373 907 478 1,042 2,427 946 2.65 1999/00 2,302 946 95 3,343 905 391 1,050 2,346 997 2.50-2.60 SORGHUM: 1997/98 634 47 --- 681 365 55 212 632 49 2.21 1998/99 520 49 --- 569 262 45 197 504 65 1.66 1999/00 595 65 --- 660 325 55 225 605 55 1.50-1.80 1/ Marketing year begins: Corn, Sorghum & Soybeans, September 1; Wheat, June 1. 2/ Primary uses: Corn & Sorghum = Feed; Soybeans = Crushing; Wheat = Food. * Projections for 1998 and 1999 crops are USDA's World Outlook Board expectations of supply and disappearance as of February 11, 2000. Totals may not add due to rounding. CHICKEN INVENTORY, NEBRASKA AND UNITED STATES, DECEMBER 1, 1997-1999 NEBRASKA UNITED STATES 1999 as 1999 as Item 1997 1998 1999 % 1997 1998 1999 % of 1998 of 1998 Thousands Percent Thousands Percent All Chickens 12,126 13,219 13,846 105 410,030 425,045 436,326 103 Hens & Pullets Laying Age 9,990 10,613 11,842 112 312,137 321,718 329,305 102 Pullets 3 mo. & over not of laying age 563 1,186 203 17 35,578 39,664 38,587 97 Pullets under 3 mo. old 1,573 1,420 1,801 127 54,766 55,981 58,775 105 Other chickens 0 0 0 --- 7,549 7,682 9,659 126 EGG PRODUCTION, NEBRASKA AND UNITED STATES, YEAR ENDED NOVEMBER 30, 1997-1999 NEBRASKA UNITED STATES Item 1997 1998 1999 1997 1998 1999 Eggs Produced (million) 2,469 2,706 2,837 77,532 79,690 82,707 Average Number of Layers (thousand) 9,525 10,398 11,167 303,604 312,035 322,322 Eggs per Layer (number) 259 260 254 255 255 257 HIRED WORKERS ON FARMS & FARM WAGE RATES SELECTED REGIONS AND UNITED STATES, JANUARY 10-16, 1999 & JANUARY 9-15, 2000 1/ ------------------WAGE RATES------------------- ----------Type of work---------- All Hired Field & Hired Workers Workers Field Livestock Livestock Region 2/ 1999 2000 1999 2000 1999 2000 1999 2000 1999 2000 -Thousands- -------------Dollars per hour-------------- Lake 42 48 8.48 8.83 8.43 8.72 7.33 7.96 7.59 8.11 Cornbelt I 29 36 8.46 9.32 8.01 8.51 7.82 8.45 7.89 8.48 Cornbelt II 16 19 7.86 8.13 7.36 7.31 7.35 7.87 7.35 7.80 Northern 23 29 8.10 8.34 7.83 8.12 7.56 7.90 7.62 7.98 Plains Southern 48 44 6.93 7.52 6.49 7.06 6.58 7.10 6.53 7.08 Plains Mountain I 14 21 7.80 8.19 7.36 7.55 7.35 7.67 7.35 7.64 Mountain II 15 19 8.27 8.09 7.29 7.46 7.36 7.60 7.33 7.56 United States 705 666 7.94 8.12 7.23 7.32 7.31 7.64 7.25 7.43 1/ Excludes agricultural service workers. 2/ Regions consist of the following: Lake: Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin; Cornbelt I: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio; Cornbelt II: Iowa, Missouri; Northern Plains: Kansas, NEBRASKA, North Dakota, South Dakota; Southern Plains: Oklahoma, Texas; Mountain I: Idaho, Montana, Wyoming; Mountain II: Colorado, Nevada, Utah. HIRED WORKERS DOWN 3 PERCENT, WAGE RATES UP 2 PERCENT FROM A YEAR AGO There were 836,000 hired workers on the Nation's farms and ranches the week of January 9-15, 2000, down 3% from a year ago. There were 666,000 workers hired directly by farm operators. Agricultural service employees working on farms and ranches made up the remaining 170,000 workers. Migrant workers accounted for 7.3% of the January hired workforce compared to 6.0% last year. Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $8.12 per hour during the January 2000 survey week , up 18 cents from a year earlier. Field workers received an average of $7.32 per hour, up 9 cents from last January. Livestock workers earned $7.46 per hour compared with $7.31 a year earlier. The Field and Livestock worker combined wage rate was up 18 cents from last year. Number of hours worked averaged 38.2 hours for hired workers during the survey week compared with 38.1 hours a year ago. The largest increases in number of hired farm workers over last year occurred in the Mountain I (Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming), Mountain II (Colorado, Nevada, and Utah), Mountain III (Arizona and New Mexico), Northern Plains (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas), and Corn Belt I ( Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio) regions. The largest declines in number of hired farm workers from a year ago were in the California, Northeast I (New England and New York), Southeast (Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina), and Pacific (Oregon and Washington) regions.