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NEW YORK CROP AND LIVESTOCK REPORT

Released: December 2002
Monthly
No. 973-12-02

Production of fall potatoes in New York for 2002 is estimated at 5.50 million hundredweight (cwt.), down 7 percent from a year ago. Yields are expected to average 250 cwt. per acre compared with 255 cwt. per acre last year. This would be the lowest yield since 1991. Acreage for harvest is estimated at 22.0 thousand acres, down 6 percent from a year earlier.

U.S. production of fall potatoes for 2002 is forecast at 415 million cwt., up 5 percent from last year but 11 percent smaller than the record high 2000 crop. Area harvested, at 1.12 million acres, is up 4 percent from last year but 6 percent below two years ago. The average yield is forecast at 371 cwt. per acre, 4 cwt. above last year.

Production estimates are generally lower this year in Central and Eastern States but higher in the West. Harvest has been completed on schedule in nearly all States. Washington was 95 percent completed by the end of October. There was some frost damage to fields in Eastern Idaho and in North Central States.

The nine Western States' production is forecast at 292 million cwt., up 10 percent from last year but 11 percent below 2000. Acreage harvested, at 700,700 acres, gained 9 percent from last year, while the average yield of 417 cwt. per acre is up 6 cwt. California growers responded with record high yields with adequate irrigation water available in the Tule Lake Basin. Colorado's production jumped 31 per- cent as farmers had sufficient irrigation water to sustain them through the hot summer weather. Idaho's production increased 11 percent from last year as potatoes were able to size up at the end of the season. Higher acreage in Washington pushed production up 6 percent despite lower yields. Production in Nevada and New Mexico rose 9 and 12 percent, respectively, from a year ago. Production fell 8 percent in Oregon, 3 percent in Montana, and 29 percent in Utah.

Eight Central States' production is forecast at 96.5 million cwt., down 5 percent from last year and 12 percent below 2000. Harvested area, estimated at 313,000 acres, is down 4 percent, while the average yield of 308 cwt. per acre is off 5 cwt. from a year ago. Nebraska is the only State in the Central Region with increased production and that by less than 1 percent. The other 7 States, when compared with last season, lost production ranging from one-half of 1 percent in Michigan to 49 percent in South Dakota. Spring rains and flooding reduced production potential in North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Indiana production fell 22 percent from last year, North Dakota was down 11 percent, Wisconsin dropped 4 percent, Minnesota was off 2 percent, and Ohio output fell 16 percent.

Five Eastern States' production is forecast at 26.3 million cwt., down less than 1 percent from last year and 7 percent below two years ago. Area for harvest totaled 103,400 acres, 1 percent above last year, but the average yield fell to 254 cwt. per acre, 5 cwt. below last season. Maine production is up 3 percent from last year and Massachusetts is up 8 percent. Production in Pennsylvania dropped 7 percent from last year. Rhode Island is off 29 percent.

Dry bean production in New York for the 2002 crop totaled 333,000 hundredweight (cwt.), 72 percent above last year's output but 7 percent less than two years ago. Production was up due to a combination of increased acreage and sharply higher yields. Harvested acreage, at 24,500 acres, was up 10 percent from last year and the same as 2000. Yields averaged 1,360 pounds per acre compared with 870 pounds in 2001 and the five-year average of 1,336 pounds per acre.

Light red kidney bean production in the state is estimated at 191,000 cwt. compared with 112,000 cwt. in 2001. Production came from 14,700 acres harvested. Light red kidney beans accounted for 57 percent of the total dry bean production in New York compared with 58 percent a year ago. Dark red kidney bean production is estimated at 27,000 cwt. compared with 10,000 cwt. in 2001. Black turtle bean production is set at 91,000 cwt., up 54 percent from the 59,000 cwt. produced a year earlier. Production of other varieties totaled 24,000 cwt. compared with 13,000 cwt. a year ago.

Nationally, dry edible bean production is estimated at 30.2 million cwt. for 2002, up 9 percent from the October forecast and 54 percent above last year. This increase is a rebound from last year's drought reduced production in eastern and central States. Harvested area is estimated at 1.74 million acres, 3 percent above the last forecast and 39 percent above 2001. The average U.S. yield of 1,733 pounds per acre climbed 101 pounds above the October forecast and is 164 pounds greater than a year ago. Production is above a year ago in 10 of the 18 producing States. Most notable are a six-fold increase in Michigan after last year's drought and a 70 percent gain in North Dakota where planted acres are a record high. Production is up from last year for all classes except garbanzo, blackeye, great northern, and small white. Navies are up 130 percent, pinto's climbed 49 percent, and blacks are almost quadrupled from last year. Small red, baby lima, cranberry, and pink are also up sharply.

There were 1.19 million hired workers on the Nation's farms and ranches during the week of October 6-12, 2002. There were 935 thousand workers hired directly by farm operators. Agricultural service employees on farms and ranches made up the remaining 250 thousand workers.

Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $8.93 per hour during the October 2002 survey week, up 34 cents from a year earlier. Field workers received an average of $8.30 per hour, up 29 cents. Livestock workers earned $8.44 per hour compared with $8.39 a year earlier.

Prices received by New York farmers during November for selected agricultural commodities were mostly higher compared with a month earlier. Prices for corn, oats, wheat, barley, soybeans, and eggs increased while prices for hay, potatoes, apples, and milk declined.

Grain corn prices averaged $2.96 per bushel, up 9 cents from October and 71 cents above November 2001. Oats, at $2.08 per bushel, were up 23 cents from the previous month and 63 cents above a year ago. Wheat averaged $3.55 per bushel, up 6 cents from October and 84 cents above last November. Barley, at $2.16 per bushel, was up 14 cents from a month earlier. Soybeans returned $5.54 per bushel, up 13 cents from last month and $1.24 more than November 2001. Hay, at $97.00 per ton baled, was down $6.00 from October and $3.00 less than November a year ago. Potato prices declined $1.00 from October to $10.80 per hundredweight (cwt.). Prices for fresh market apples at the packinghouse door averaged $28.50 per cwt., down $1.30 from October but $9.80 more than a year earlier.

Dairy farmers in New York received an average of $12.50 per cwt. of milk sold during November, down 10 cents from the previous month and $2.70 below last November. Poultry producers received an average of 62.0 cents per dozen eggs sold, up 21.0 cents from October and 8.6 cents above November 2001.

At the National level, the preliminary All Farm Products Index of Prices Received by U.S. Farmers in November was 97, based on 1990-92=100, up 1 point from the October index. Higher prices for soybeans, eggs, cattle, and tomatoes more than offset lower prices for hogs, milk, lettuce, and corn. The seasonal change in the mix of commodities farmers sell also affects the overall index. Increased marketings of cotton, milk, cattle, and cottonseed offset decreased marketings of soybeans, peanuts, potatoes, and sunflower. The preliminary All Farm Products Index is 4 points above November 2001. Higher prices for corn, soybeans, wheat, and cattle more than offset lower prices for broilers, hogs, turkeys, and calves.

Milk production in the Empire State during November totaled 965 million pounds, up slightly from the 964 million pounds of milk produced in New York during November 2001. A larger milking herd was responsible for the increase. The 675,000 dairy cows on farms during November were up 1,000 head from a year earlier. Milk per cow averaged 1,430 pounds during the month, unchanged from the November 2001 output.

November milk production in the 20 major producing States totaled 11.7 billion pounds, up 1.8 percent from production in these same States during November 2001. Production per cow in the 20 major States averaged 1,501 pounds for November, 16 pounds above a year earlier. The number of cows on farms was 7.79 million head, 54,000 head more than November 2001, and 1,000 head more than October 2002.
 

Egg production on New York farms totaled 95million eggs in October 2002, unchanged from the same month a year earlier. Fewer layers was offset with a higher rate of lay. The number of hens and pullets of laying age, at 4.02 million, was down 4 percent from October 2001, while the rate of lay was up 4 percent to 23.61 eggs per layer.

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