ne-agri-facts NEBRASKA AGRI-FACTS Issue 07/2004 Released: 04/06/2004 by USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service Mark Harris, State Statistician Dean C Groskurth, Deputy State Statistician ------------------------------------------------------------------------ P.O Box 81069 Location: 298 Federal Bldg Lincoln, NE 68501 Phone: (402) 437-5541 e-mail: nass-ne@nass.usda.gov Internet: http://www.nass.usda.gov/ne/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dear producers and other data users: Information contained herein is the result of mail, phone and personal interview surveys conducted during the past few weeks. Special recognition and appreciation are extended to all producers and agribusinesses who provided data making these reports possible. Mark Harris State Statistician ------------------------------------------------------------------------ March Prospective Plantings As of March 1, Nebraska corn growers expect to plant 8.0 million acres in 2004, down 1 percent from last year. Of these acres, 41 percent is expected to be planted to insect resistant (Bt) varieties, 15 percent to herbicide resistant varieties and 8 percent to stacked gene varieties, compared to 36 percent, 11 percent and 5 percent, respectively a year ago. Nebraska soybean producers expect to plant 4.65 million acres in 2004. This would be the third highest of record, up 2 percent from last year but 6 percent below the record high set in 2001. Of these acres, 89 percent are expected to be planted to herbicide resistant varieties, up from 86 percent last year. Last fall, winter wheat was sown on 1.95 million acres, up 3 percent from a year earlier and 18 percent from two years ago. Sorghum growers expect to plant 550,000 acres, 17 percent less than 2003, but 22 percent more than 2002. Hay acreage for harvest, at 3.1 million , would be down 2 percent from last year. Oat planting intentions at 155,000 acres are down 30 percent from 2003. Dry edible bean producers intend to plant 145,000 acres, down 6 percent from a year ago. Sugar beet plantings of 45,000 acres would be down slightly from 2003. Sunflower planting intentions of 55,000 acres are down 17 percent. Crop Summary: Acres Planted, Nebraska and United States, 2002-2004 .........Nebraska......... ........United States........ Inten- Inten- Crop tions 2004/ tions 2004/ 2002 2003 2004 1/ 2003 2002 2003 2004 1/ 2003 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1,000 Acres Percent 1,000 Acres Percent Corn 8,400 8,100 8,000 99 78,894 78,736 79,004 100 Soybeans 4,700 4,550 4,650 102 73,963 73,404 75,411 103 Sorghum 450 660 550 83 9,589 9,420 8,600 91 Oats 175 220 155 70 4,995 4,601 4,312 94 Oats for Grain 55 90 70 78 2,058 2,224 2,067 93 Barley 6 6 5 83 5,008 5,299 4,683 88 Dry Beans 185 155 145 94 929.7 1,406.1 1,333.0 95 Sugar Beets 57.0 45.3 45.0 99 427.3 1,365.4 1,358.6 100 All Hay 2/ 3,050 3,150 3,100 98 63,942 63,342 63,731 101 All Wheat 1,650 1,900 1,950 103 60,318 61,700 59,462 96 Winter Wheat 1,650 1,900 1,950 103 41,766 44,945 43,372 97 Sunflower-Oil 47 51 40 78 2,126 1,998 1,795 90 -Non-oil 13 15 15 100 455 346 291 84 -All 60 66 55 83 2,581 2,344 2,086 89 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Intended plantings as indicated by reports from farmers. 2/ Intended acres for harvest as indicated by reports from farmers. Source: USDA NASS Prospective Plantings, March 31, 2004. Grain Stocks Nebraska corn stocks in all positions on March 1, 2004, totaled 648 million bushels, up 9 percent from March 1, 2003. Soybeans stored in all positions totaled 79 million bushels, up 2 percent from 2003. Wheat stored in all positions on March 1, 2004, totaled 42 million bushels, up 18 percent from a year ago. U.S. corn stocks in all positions on March 1, 2004, totaled 5.27 billion bushels, up 3 percent from March 1, 2003. Soybeans stored in all positions totaled 906 million bushels, down 25 percent from 2003. All wheat stored in all positions on March 1, 2004, totaled 1.02 billion bushels, up 12 percent from a year ago. Grain Stocks: By Commodity, Nebraska and United States, 2002-2004 Grain Nebraska United States and Mar 1, Mar 1, Mar 1, 2004/ Mar 1, Mar 1, Mar 1, 2004/ Position 2002 2003 2004 2003 2002 2003 2004 2003 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thousand Bushels Percent Thousand Bushels Percent Corn On Farms 410,000 325,000 380,000 117 3,355,000 2,940,000 3,030,000 103 Off Farms 1/ 297,176 270,547 268,219 99 2,440,263 2,191,873 2,240,641 102 Total 707,176 595,547 648,219 109 5,795,263 5,131,873 5,270,641 103 All Wheat On Farms 8,000 4,500 7,000 156 338,500 236,300 257,890 109 Off Farms 1/ 43,091 31,015 34,742 112 871,268 670,333 761,141 114 Total 51,091 35,515 41,742 118 1,209,768 906,633 1,019,031 112 Soybeans On Farms 27,000 31,000 21,000 68 687,000 636,500 355,900 56 Off Farms 1/ 66,041 46,202 58,047 126 648,976 565,528 549,623 97 Total 93,041 77,202 79,047 102 1,335,976 1,202,028 905,523 75 Sorghum On Farms 6,000 4,000 3,400 85 38,100 27,500 21,000 76 Off Farms 1/ 17,911 14,502 15,720 108 156,007 135,423 137,652 102 Total 23,911 18,502 19,120 103 194,107 162,923 158,652 97 Oats On Farms 900 900 1,500 167 40,200 35,000 45,600 130 Off Farms 1/ 2/ 2/ 2/ 53,158 47,879 49,469 103 Total 2/ 2/ 2/ 93,358 82,879 95,069 115 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Includes stocks at mills, elevators, warehouses, terminals, and processors. 2/ Not published to avoid disclosure of individual operations. Source: USDA NASS Grain Stocks, March 31, 2004. Prices Received: By Commodity, Nebraska and United States, Preliminary March 2004 with Comparisons Nebraska United States Commodity Unit Mar Feb Mar 15, Mar Mar Mar 15 % of Parity '03 1/ '04 1/ '04 '03 1/ '04 1/ '04 Parity Price 2/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ...............Dollars..................... % Dollars Wheat Bushels 3.39 3.61 3.50 3.55 3.77 3.71 38 9.84 Corn Bushels 2.33 2.53 2.75 2.33 2.61 2.79 42 6.61 Oats Bushels 2.23 1.28 1.40 2.08 1.58 1.55 40 3.85 Grain Sorghum Cwt. 4.03 4.53 4.80 3.94 4.76 4.86 45 10.70 Soybeans Bushels 5.50 8.19 9.50 5.59 8.28 9.56 61 15.60 Hay, All, Baled Ton 81.00 52.00 50.00 92.80 79.90 81.80 Alfalfa, Baled Ton 82.00 53.00 51.00 96.70 84.70 85.90 Other, Baled Ton 76.00 47.00 45.00 77.90 69.90 70.90 Dry Edible Beans Cwt. 16.70 15.70 16.40 15.90 17.50 19.00 37 50.90 Hogs Cwt. 37.10 44.80 47.30 34.70 42.60 45.10 44 103.00 Barrows & Gilts Cwt. 37.30 45.00 47.50 35.20 43.00 45.40 Sows Cwt. 25.70 36.20 39.50 24.20 35.10 38.90 Beef Cattle Cwt. 76.90 82.60 89.10 72.60 78.50 84.00 50 167.00 Steers & Heifers Cwt. 78.00 83.60 90.30 76.70 82.30 88.60 Cows Cwt. 39.80 48.60 49.70 39.50 46.10 46.70 Calves Cwt. 99.40 116.00 122.00 96.70 111.00 114.00 51 223.00 Sheep Cwt. 39.50 43.00 40.90 41.20 82.00 Lambs Cwt. 105.00 103.00 97.10 107.00 197.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1/ Entire month average except hay. 2/ Parity price based on data for March 2004. Source: USDA NASS Agricultural Prices, March 30, 2004. Hogs and Pigs Nebraska inventory of all hogs and pigs on March 1, 2004, was 2.85 million head. This was 2 percent below March 1, 2003 and December 1, 2003. Breeding inventory, at 360,000 head, was down 5 percent from March 1, 2003 and 3 percent below last quarter. Market hog inventory, at 2.49 million head, was 1 percent below last year and 2 percent below last quarter. Inventory of all hogs and pigs in the United States was 59.3 million head on March 1, 2004. This was 2 percent above last year, but 2 percent below December 1, 2003. Breeding inventory, at 5.92 million head, was down 2 percent from March 1, 2003, and down 1 percent from last quarter. Market hog inventory was 2 percent above last year. Hogs and Pigs: March 1 Inventory, Sows Farrowing and Pig Crop, Nebraska and United States 2003-2004 Nebraska United States Item 2003 2004 2004/2003 2003 2004 2004/2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1,000 Head Percent 1,000 Head Percent March 1 Inventory All hogs and pigs 2,900 2,850 98 58,183 59,315 102 Breeding 380 360 95 6,017 5,915 98 Market 2,520 2,490 99 52,166 53,399 102 Market Hogs & Pigs Under 60 pounds 1,000 980 98 19,086 19,679 103 60-119 pounds 640 640 100 12,649 12,993 103 120-179 pounds 485 460 95 10,915 11,088 102 180 pounds and over 395 410 104 9,516 9,641 101 Sows Farrowing December-February 1/ 180 175 97 2,769 2,814 102 March-May 185 175 2/ 95 2,885 2,852 2/ 99 June-August 185 175 2/ 95 2,906 2,851 2/ 98 September-November 180 2,841 Total Sows Farrowing 730 11,401 Pig Crop December-February 1/ 1,575 1,558 99 24,399 24,895 102 March-May 1,647 25,627 June-August 1,628 25,869 September-November 1,620 25,359 Total Pig Crop 3/ 6,470 101,254 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ December preceding year. 2/ Intentions. 3/ May not add due to rounding. Source: USDA NASS Quarterly Hog and Pigs, March 26, 2004. March 1 Hog Report Highlights * U.S. inventory up 2 percent from March 2003. Expectations of private forecasters averaged 102 percent of the previous year with a range of 100.0 percent to 102.4 percent. * Market hogs were up 2 percent from a year earlier. Private forecasters' expectations ranged from 100.0 percent to 103.0 percent with an average of 102 percent. * Breeding herd was down 2 percent from a year earlier. Expectations of private forecasters ranged from 96.5 percent to 100.4 percent with an average of 99 percent * U.S. December-February pig crop was up 2 percent from a year earlier. Analysts expected the pig crop to be 102 percent of previous year; estimates ranged from 100.5 percent to 103.0 percent. * March-May intentions are down 1 percent from actual farrowings a year earlier. June-August intentions are down 2 percent from the previous years actual farrowings. *Commercial hog slaughter during December-February at 26.1 million head was 4 percent above a year earlier. Live hog imports were 2.27 million head, up 54 percent from a year earlier. Total exports increased to 70,000 head, compared to 63,000 a year ago. Commercial Livestock Slaughter February 2004 number slaughtered and changes from last year and last month are shown below. February 2003 contained 20 weekdays (including one holiday) and four Saturdays. February 2004 contained 20 weekdays (including one holiday) and four Saturdays. Livestock Slaughter: By Commodity, Nebraska and United States, February 2004 with Comparisons Feb 2004 Percent of Item Total 1/ Feb Jan 2003 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Nebraska 1,000 Head Cattle, head 487.8 90 94 Hogs, head 514.4 96 86 Red Meat, mil. lbs. 483.3 90 91 United States Cattle, head 2,427.0 94 94 Calves, head 71.5 86 91 Hogs, head 7,886.1 103 90 Sheep & Lambs, head 213.0 94 97 Red Meat, mil, lbs. 3,403.4 97 92 --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Excludes animals slaughtered on farms. Source: USDA NASS Livestock Slaughter, March 19, 2004. Stocks in Cold Storage: By Commodity, United States, February 2004 with Comparisons Feb 2004 Percent of Commodity Stocks Feb 2003 Jan 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1,000 Lbs Total red meats 934,743 96 97 Beef 436,398 99 100 Pork 483,609 93 95 Poultry 1,021,766 87 107 Turkey 476,855 97 113 Chicken 543,583 81 102 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: USDA NASS Cold Storage, March 19, 2004. Poultry: Layers and Eggs, Nebraska and United States, February 2004 with Comparisons Item 2003 2004 2004/2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Millions Percent Number of Layers Nebraska 11.7 11.8 101 30 States 318.3 316.1 99 United States 340.6 338.9 100 Eggs Produced Nebraska 237 254 107 30 States 6,229 6,437 103 United States 6,665 6,891 103 Chickens Hatched, February United States Egg-type 30.0 32.1 107 Broiler 694.6 727.9 105 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: USDA NASS Chicken and Eggs, March 22, 2004.