E-mail: nass-ny@nass.usda.gov
(518) 457-5570

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:  Greg Lemmons
Monday, January 12, 2009

www.nass.usda.gov/ny

                   2008 NEW YORK FIELD CROP SUMMARY

The 2008 crop year got off to a slow start as rainy weather hindered
planting.  This weather slowed fieldwork and pushed planting progress of
late season crops behind the norm.  Rainy weather conditions during July
and August encouraged corn and soybean growth, but deterred dry hay
harvest.  Harvest extended into October and November due to late season
rains.

New York grain corn production is estimated at 92.2 million bushels, up 31
percent from last year. Area for harvest totaled 640,000 acres, up 16
percent from a year ago. Yields averaged a record high 144 bushels per
acre, up 16 bushels from last year, and 15 bushels above the record set in
2006.

Corn cut for silage totaled 8.90 million tons, an increase of 4 percent
from last year. Area for harvest decreased 12 percent to 445,000 acres.
Yields are estimated at 20.0 tons per acre, up 3 ton per.  This is also a
record high yield for New York.

The 2008 soybean crop was estimated at 10.4 million bushels, 31 percent
above last year's production. Area harvested, a record high at 226,000
acres, was up 11 percent from a year ago. Yields averaged 46 bushels per
acre, which ties the record set in 2006, and is up 7 bushels an acre from
last year.

Wheat production totaled 7.69 million bushels, up 71 percent from the
previous year. Harvested acreage, at 122,000 acres, was up 37,000 acres
from 2007. Winter wheat yields averaged 63 bushels per acre, up 10 bushels
from a year ago.

Oat production, at 4.22 million bushels, was up 21 percent from the
previous year. Area harvested, at 64,000 acres, was up 7 percent from last
year. The average yield, at 66 bushels per acre, was up 8 bushels from last
year’s 58 bushels.

Production of barley in New York totaled 468,000 bushels, down 13 percent
from a year earlier. Acreage harvested for grain totaled 9,000 acres, down
2,000 acres from 2007. The average yield per acre, at 52 bushels, was up 3
bushels from last year.

 All dry hay production was 2.69 million tons, down slightly from last
year's 2.70 million tons. Acreage harvested for dry hay during 2008
decreased 3 percent to 1.32 million acres. Yield, at 2.04 tons per acre,
was 3 percent above a year ago.

New York production of alfalfa dry hay was estimated at 945 thousand tons,
down 6 percent from last year's crop of 1.01 million tons.  Area harvested,
at 350,000 acres, was 17 percent below last year. Yields averaged 2.70 tons
per acre, up 13 percent from last year.

Potato production totaled 5.70 million hundredweight (cwt.), up 9 percent
from the 5.22 million cwt. produced in 2007. Harvested acreage totaled a
record low 17,800 acres, down 500 acres from last year. Yields averaged a
record high 320 cwt. per acre, up 35 cwt. from a year ago.

Dry bean production totaled 324,000 cwt., up 31 percent from 2007. Acres
harvested totaled 16,800 acres, up 300 acres from a year earlier. The
average yield, at 1,930 pounds per acre is a record high yield replacing
the previous record of 1,860 set in 2003, and is up 430 pounds from last
year.



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1-12-09