Corn stocks in Illinois on March 1, 2000 are estimated at 978.5 million bushels, four percent more than March 1, 1999. The December-February disappearance totaled 447.3 million bushels, six percent more than the same period a year earlier. Off-farm stocks, at 528.5 million bushels, were up 18 percent from a year earlier and accounted for 54 percent of the state total. On-farm stocks were down eight percent from March 1, 1999 to 450 million bushels. Soybean stocks are estimated at 249.7 million bushels, ten percent less than last year's record March 1 total of 278.1 million bushels. The December-February disappearance totaled 185.5 million bushels, 21 percent more than the same period a year earlier. On-farm stocks, at 130 million bushels, decreased 16 percent from a year earlier and accounted for 52 percent of the total stocks. Off-farm stocks decreased three percent from last year and totaled 119.7 million bushels. Wheat stocks are estimated at a record high 31.9 million bushels for March 1. This is seven percent more than last year's previous record high of 29.8 million bushels. Off-farm stocks, at 30.7 million bushels accounted for 96 percent of the state total.

U.S. corn stocks in all positions on March 1, 2000 totaled 5.61 billion bushels, down two percent from March 1, 1999. Of the total stocks, 3.30 billion bushels were stored on farms, down eight percent from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 2.31 billion bushels, were up nine percent from a year ago. The December 1999-February 2000 quarter indicated disappearance is 2.42 billion bushels, three percent above the disappearance of 2.36 billion bushels during the same period a year earlier. Soybeans stored in all positions on March 1, 2000 totaled 1.40 billion bushels, down four percent from March 1, 1999. On-farm stocks, at 730 million bushels, were down ten percent from the same period a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 667 million bushels, were four percent higher than March 1, 1999. Indicated disappearance for the December 1999-February 2000 quarter totaled 786 million bushels, up eight percent from the same quarter in 1999. All wheat stored in all positions on March 1, 2000 totaled 1.41 billion bushels, down three percent from a year ago. On-farm stocks are estimated at 423 million bushels, down ten percent from last year. Off-farm stocks, at 989 million bushels, are up one percent from a year ago. The indicated December 1999 - February 2000 quarter disappearance is 473 million bushels, up six percent from the same period in 1999.

The March 1 inventory of hogs and pigs in Illinois was at a 63 year low but intentions to farrow during the next two quarters are unchanged from last year. The number of hogs and pigs on March 1, 2000 was 4.05 million, eight percent less than were on hand on March 1, 1999. This was 50 thousand less than were on hand on December 1, 1999. Breeding hogs on hand March 1, 2000 were estimated at 430 thousand head, nine percent less than a year earlier, while market hogs, at 3.62 million head, were down eight percent.

The pig crop from December 1999 through February 2000 was 1.78 million, two percent below the same period in 1999. There were 205 thousand sows that farrowed, five thousand less than a year earlier. The litter rate for the quarter was equal to the previous year's record of 8.7 pigs saved per litter and was up from the previous quarter of 8.6.

Farrowing intentions for March through May 2000 is 210 thousand, equal to those farrowed during this period a year earlier. The first estimate of intentions for June through August 2000 is for 200 thousand sows to farrow, also equal to the previous year.

U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs on March 1, 2000 was 58.1 million head. This was three percent below March 1999 and two percent below December 1, 1999. Breeding inventory, at 6.22 million

head, was down five percent from March 1, 1999 and down slightly from December 1, 1999. Market hog inventory, at 51.9 million head, was three percent below last year and two percent below last quarter.

The December 1999 through February 2000 U.S. pig crop, at 24.8 million head, was two percent less than 1999 and three percent less than 1998. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.82 million head, two percent below last year. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 45 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs per litter rose to 8.79 pigs saved per litter for the December through February period, compared to 8.73 pigs last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.50 for operations with 1-99 hogs to 8.90 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs.

U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.87 million sows farrow during the March through May 2000 quarter, four percent below the actual farrowings during the same period in 1999 and seven percent below 1998. Intended farrowings for June through August 2000, at 2.85 million sows, are two percent below the same period last year and seven percent below 1998.

The total number of hogs under contract, owned by operations with over 5,000 head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 31 percent of the total U.S. hog inventory, up from 30 percent last year.

ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID

P.O. BOX 19283

SPRINGFIELD, IL 62794-9283