Total milk production in Illinois during October 2000 was up three percent from a year earlier and November's production was up two percent. When compared to the same months in 1999, the number of milk cows decreased two percent for October and November. Milk production per cow in October and November increased 60 pounds from a year earlier.

In the 20 States, milk production was up three percent in October and two percent in November. The number of milk cows on farms was up one percent for both October and November. Milk production per cow in October increased 20 pounds from 1999 though November increased just slightly.

MILK PRODUCTION: ILLINOIS & 20 STATES, OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1999-2000
		October
		Illinois			United States
		1999	2000	2000 as % of 1999	1999	2000	2000 as % of 1999
Milk Production:
Number of milk cows	Head (000)	121	119	98	7,746	7,850	101
Milk production per cow	Lbs.	1,340	1,400	104	1,491	1,511	101
Total milk production	Mil. lbs.	162	167	103	11,549	11,859	103
		November
Milk Production:
Number of milk cows	Head (000)	121	118	98	7,756	7,851	101
Milk production per cow	Lbs.	1,330	1,390	105	1,459	1,463	100
Total milk production	Mil. lbs.	161	164	102	11,315	11,486	102

LAYERS & EGG PRODUCTION

LAYERS & EGG PRODUCTION, ILLINOIS & UNITED STATES, SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER, 1999-2000
	Illinois
	September		October		November 1/
	1999	2000	1999	2000	1999	2000
Average Number of Layers on hand (thousand)	3,640	3,479	3,683	3,483	3,601	3,539

Eggs produced (million)	84	77	89	80	83	77
	United States
Average Number of Layers on hand (thousand)	322,394	325,470	325,272	327,688	328,253	330,486

Eggs produced (million)	6,860	6,837	7,131	7,118	7,016	7,025
1/ Preliminary.

CROPPING PRACTICES

Each year the Illinois Agricultural Statistics Service conducts a survey in randomly selected corn and soybean fields in Illinois. Counts and measurements are made by enumerators during visits to these plots in all areas of the State. Monthly visits from late July through harvest provide information on crop development and yield prospects throughout the growing season.

Information in the following tables represent rounded sample data averages from this survey and are subject to sampling variations. These numbers are intended to show trends in corn and soybean production practices.

CORN

In 2000, the row width of corn for grain in Illinois averaged 31.3 inches. The average row spacing continued to decrease with 66 percent of the acreage at the 30-inch row spacing.

Plant population of corn for grain in Illinois was 25,800 plants per acre. The number of ears per acre averaged 25,450. The plant population was a record that was primarily attributable to the decrease in average row spacing.

CORN FOR GRAIN: PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION BY ROW WIDTH & AVERAGE ROW WIDTH, ILLINOIS, 1996-2000
Year	Number of samples	Row width (inches)						Average row width
Year	Number of samples	20.5 or less	20.6 - 30.5	30.6 - 34.5	34.6 - 36.5	36.6 - 38.5	38.6 & greater	Average row width
	Number	Percent of samples						Inches
1996	257		63.4	14.4	10.9	9.3	2.0	31.7
1997	270		61.4	17.8	11.9	7.4	1.5	31.6
1998	267		64.5	14.6	9.7	10.5	0.7	31.5
1999	269	0.4	63.6	18.6	7.4	9.3	0.7	31.4
2000	273		65.6	16.8	10.3	6.2	1.1	31.3

CORN FOR GRAIN: AVERAGE PLANT POPULATION & EARS PER ACRE, ILLINOIS, 1996-2000
	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
Number of plants	24,200	24,900	25,400	25,650	25,800
Number of ears	23,600	23,400	24,300	24,850	25,450

SOYBEANS

The average row width of soybeans in Illinois was 14.9 inches in 2000. The 10-inches or less row width was the most common, comprising 44.6 percent of the acreage. The number of pods per 18 square feet was 2,020, up 13 percent from last year and six percent above the previous record of 1,902 set back in 1998.

SOYBEANS: PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION BY ROW WIDTH & AVERAGE ROW WIDTH, ILLINOIS, 1996-2000
Year	Number of samples	Row width (inches)					Average row 1/ width
Year	Number of samples	10.0 or less 1/	10.1 - 18.5	18.6 - 28.5	28.6 - 34.5	34.6 & greater	Average row 1/ width
	Number	Percent of samples					Inches
1996	202	53.2	15.2	2.2	25.5	3.9	16.0
1997	211	55.2	18.5	3.1	21.1	2.1	15.1
1998	205	54.5	17.8	2.0	22.0	3.7	15.5
1999	219	44.3	31.6	3.0	16.5	4.6	15.8
2000	214	44.6	36.2	0.9	16.4	1.9	14.9
1/ Broadcast soybeans included at 10.0 inches and less but excluded in computation of average width.

SOYBEANS: AVERAGE NUMBER OF PODS PER 18 SQUARE FEET, ILLINOIS, 1996-2000
Month	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
September	1,505	1,828	2,087	1,917	2,162
November	1,573	1,708	1,902	1,788	2,020
Final	1,581	1,708	1,906	1,787	N/A
N/A Not available.

AGRICULTURAL PRICES

November prices received by Illinois farmers for all commodities increased to 80 percent of the base. This is one point more than the revised October figure and four points above November 1999. The current year's base is computed by multiplying the average production for the five-year period by the average price for each year. These five years are summed and then divided by five to arrive at an average (base) for the period. The current five-year average production is then multiplied by the current price and divided by the average for the five years to arrive at the current index. The November all crops index, at 75 percent of the base, is two points above the revised October number, and four points higher than November 1999. Prices increased for corn, soybeans, sorghum and wheat. The all livestock index is at 94 percent of the base, one point less than the revised November figure. The price of hogs and milk decreased, while the price of beef cattle increased. The hog-corn ratio is at 17.6.

The U.S. preliminary All Farm Products Index of Prices Received in November was 97 based on 1990-92=100, up four points from the October index. Higher prices for broilers, cattle, corn and cauliflower were partially offset by lower prices for hogs, peanuts, milk and apples. The seasonal change in the mix of commodities farmers sell often affects the overall index. Higher seasonal marketings of cotton, milk, cattle and cottonseed were partially offset by lower marketings of soybeans, peanuts, potatoes and lettuce. Compared with November 1999, the All Farm Products Index was four points higher. Price increases from November 1999 for cotton, cattle, corn and tomatoes were partially offset by lower prices for milk, apples, oranges and potatoes.

INDEX OF PRICES RECEIVED BY FARMERS
Commodity	Oct. 1999	Nov. 1999	Oct. 2000	Nov. 15, 2000
ILLINOIS	1993-97=100		1994-98=100
All Farm Products	76	76	79*	80
All Crops	71	71	73*	75
Food grains	65	59	62*	64
Feed grains/hay	70	71	73*	77
Soybeans	74	71	75*	73
All Livestock	89	89	95*	94
Meat animals	85	86	99*	98
Dairy products	108	104	80*	75
UNITED STATES	1990-92=100
Prices Received	91	93	93*	97
All Crops	88	89	91*	96
Food grains	87	89	88*	89
Feed grains/hay	76	77	80*	84
Oilseeds	80	82	81*	84
All Livestock	96	98	96*	99
Meat animals	87	87	92*	92
Dairy products	114	110	96*	93
Prices Paid	116	116	121*	121
Parity Ratio 1/	78	80	77*	80
1/ Prices received index divided by prices paid index. * Revised.

PRICES RECEIVED BY FARMERS 1/
Commodity	Unit	Illinois				United States
Commodity	Unit	Oct. 1999	Nov. 1999	Oct. 2000	Nov. 15, 2000	Oct. 1999	Nov. 1999	Oct. 2000	Nov. 15, 2000
		Dollars
Corn	Bushels	1.77	1.81	1.80	1.90	1.69	1.70	1.74*	1.83
Soybeans	Bushels	4.61	4.55	4.55*	4.60	4.48	4.45	4.45*	4.51
Sorghum	Cwt.	2.79	2.97	3.19*	3.45	2.51	2.57	3.01*	3.28
Wheat, all	Bushels	2.32	2.12	2.15*	2.20	2.57	2.66	2.68*	2.72
Oats	Bushels	1.40	3/	1.55*	1.55	1.06	1.12	1.12*	1.05
Hay, all baled	Tons	78.00	83.00	81.00	80.00	76.10	74.70	85.20*	85.00
Alfalfa hay, bld	Tons	82.00	88.00	86.00	85.00	79.40	77.00	89.70*	90.40
Other hay, bld	Tons	62.00	65.00	61.00	61.00	65.10	67.50	70.20*	69.60
Hogs, all	Cwt.	32.80	31.60	37.90*	33.40	34.20	33.40	41.40*	35.90
Barrows, Gilts	Cwt.	33.50	32.40	38.40*	33.90	34.80	33.80	41.80*	36.30
Sows	Cwt.	24.40	22.90	32.60*	27.60	25.20	24.10	33.70*	28.00
Beef cattle	Cwt.	65.60	66.50	65.40*	67.20	66.20	66.20	66.70*	69.50
Cows	Cwt.	33.80	32.80	37.00	36.40	33.80	33.60	36.20*	36.90
Steers, Heifers	Cwt.	66.20	67.20	66.00*	67.80	70.10	70.90	70.50*	74.30
Calves	Cwt.	112.00	111.00	114.00*	112.00	91.90	93.00	102.00*	106.00
Milk cows	Head	1,350.00	2/	1,280.00	2/	1,380.00	2/	1,350.00*	2/
Milk, all	Cwt.	15.80	15.10	11.60*	11.00	14.90	14.40	12.50*	12.20
Milk, fluid	Cwt.	15.80	15.20	11.60	3/	15.00	14.50	12.60*	12.20
Milk, mfg.	Cwt.	13.20	12.00	11.80	3/	12.70	11.10	10.80*	10.10
Hog-corn ratio		18.5	17.5	21.1*	17.6	20.2	19.6	23.8*	19.6
1/ Prices received represents the average of all grades or classes at point of first sale and should not be confused with market quotations. 2/ Estimated in January, April, July and October. 3/ State prices not published. * Revised.

FARM LABOR

HIRED WORKERS: NUMBER & HOURS WORKED, BY REGIONS, OCTOBER 8-14, 2000 1/
REGION 2/	Hired
	Number of workers	Expected to be employed		Number of hours worked
	Number of workers	150 day or more	149 days or less	Number of hours worked
	Thousands
LAKE	71	49	22	40.2
CORNBELT I	56	35	21	39.7
CORNBELT II	31	20	11	37.3
U.S.	952	662	290	41.2

HIRED WORKERS: WAGE RATES FOR TYPE OF WORKERS & ALL HIRED WORKERS, BY REGIONS, OCTOBER 8-14, 2000
REGION 2/	Type of worker			Wage rates for all hired workers
REGION 2/	Field	Livestock	Field & livestock combined	Wage rates for all hired workers
	Dollars per hour
LAKE	8.40	8.35	8.39	9.05
CORNBELT I	8.07	7.86	8.03	8.39
CORNBELT II	7.41	8.19	7.72	7.90
U.S.	7.74	7.84	7.76	8.29
1/ Excludes agricultural service workers. 2/ Regions consist of the following: LAKE: MI, MN, WI; CORNBELT I: IL, IN, OH; CORNBELT II: IA, MO; UNITED STATES: Excludes Alaska.

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