ILLINOIS FARM REPORT RELEASED: APRIL 28, 1999 IFR-99-06

Illinois   Agricultural   Statistics Service P.O. Box 19283, Springfield, IL 62794 Phone: (217) 492-4295 U.S. Department of Agriculture Illinois Department of Agriculture http://www.agr.state.il.us/agstats.htm

VOL. 20, NO. 6

Illinois vegetable growers intend to plant 14,800 acres of sweet corn for processing under contract in 1999, up one percent from last year. Normally, most of the Illinois sweet corn acreage for processing is grown under contract. United States vegetable growers' sweet corn for processing intentions are for 462,200 contracted acres, down five percent from last year. Canning acreage is expected to decrease eight percent from last year and acreage for freezing is expected to decrease two percent.

Illinois vegetable growers intend to plant 14,900 acres of snap beans for processing under contract in 1999, up one percent from last year's contracted acreage. Vegetable growers in the United States intend to plant 200,500 acres of contracted snap beans for processing, down one percent from last year's contract acreage. Canning acreage is expected to increase five percent from last year, while freezing acreage is expected to decrease nearly 13 percent.

MILK PRODUCTION

Milk production for March 1999 totaled 185 million pounds in Illinois. The number of milk cows on farms decreased three percent from March 1998 to 125,000 head. Milk per cow averaged 1,480 pounds, down two percent from March a year ago.

In the 20 majorStates, milk production during March totaled 12.1 billion pounds, up four percent from 1998. Production per cow averaged 1,577 pounds, up four percent from March 1998, while the number of milk cows essentially remained unchanged at 7.7 million head.

FLORICULTURE

The Floriculture release which was originally scheduled for April 27, 1999 has been postponed. The publication should be available on May 25, 1999 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. To view the data, visit our web site at www.usda.gov/nass/.

AGRICULTURAL PRICES

March prices received by Illinois farmers for all commodities decreased three points from the revised February figure and is down 23 points from March 1998, at 74 percent of the base. 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 March all crops index, at 73 percent of the base, decreased four points from a month earlier and is 27 points lower than March 1998. Prices decreased for soybeans, sorghum, oats and hay, but increased for corn and wheat. The all livestock index decreased two points from the previous month and is at 75 percent of the base. Cattle prices increased while the overall price of milk and hogs decreased. The hog-corn ratio decreased to 11.0.

The U.S. All Farm Products Index of Prices Received in March was 97 based on 1990-92=100, up one point from February. This is a usual February to March increase due to the seasonal changes in the mix of commodities farmers sell. Higher seasonal marketings of strawberries, milk, broilers and tomatoes more than offset the relatively lower marketings of cattle, cotton, oranges and corn. Price decreases from February for milk, soybeans, broilers and hogs more than offset price increases for cattle, lettuce, oranges and eggs. Compared with March 1998, the All Farm Products Index was five points lower. Price decreases from March 1998 for soybeans, corn, hogs and wheat more than offset price increases for milk, lettuce, strawberries and carrots.

UPCOMING AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS BOARD

AND ILLINOIS RELEASES

Release dates for reports of interest to Illinois agriculture are listed below. Reports are released at 2 P.M. Central Time on the day indicated, except Weather & Crops which is released at 3 P.M. Central Time and reports identified with an asterisk (*) are released at 7:30 A.M. Central Time. Information from each report is broadcast over local radio and TV stations and the reports are available in written form by subscribing to the Illinois Farm Report or Illinois Weather & Crops. Information from each report is also available by phone by calling the Illinois Agricultural Statistics Service. For information about a report or a subscription, write or call:

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There you can find reports issued by NASS as well as links to state statistical offices. You will also find many charts showing long term trends in agriculture.

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