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Crops

The 1995 growing season was notable for a prolonged period of lack of rainfall and elevated temperatures, which adversely affected the production of most crops.

Field preparation and planting were active throughout April. Topsoil moisture was short to adequate. Field crops made good growth during the month.

Soil preparation and planting remained active during the month of May with topsoil moisture rated as short to adequate. Temperatures tended to be cool resulting in excellent small grain growth.

Although rainfall was below normal throughout the month of June topsoil moisture was adequate over most of New Jersey. Planting of field crops remained on schedule.

Below normal rainfall continued through July and topsoil moisture was short over the entire state. Temperatures were above normal the entire month of August. Rainfall continued at below normal levels and as a result topsoil moisture remained short. Farmers came to depend more on irrigation. The prolonged period of inadequate rainfall and elevated temperatures was beginning to affect crop growth. Pasture conditions continued to be less than optimal.

The same weather pattern of above normal temperatures and inadequate rainfall, prevailed through the beginning of September. Extensive irrigation was occurring throughout the state. The condition of the corn and soybean crops continued to decline because of the hot, dry weather, ranging from poor to fair. Pasture conditions were mostly very poor. There were scattered showers in mid-September, which did little to alleviate the dry conditions.

Corn and soybean harvesting continued into October. The condition of these crops was fair to good. Pasture conditions were fair. Topsoil moisture increased to adequate, and weather conditions were favorable for the development of fall crops.

Corn planted in 1995 totaled 98,000 acres, 78,000 of which was harvested for grain. Yield was down by 26 bushels per acre to 93 bushels from 1994's 119 bushels. As a result, production fell by 25 percent to 7,254,000 bushels from 1994's 9,639,000 bushels. Acres harvested for silage increased by 2,000 to 19,000 in 1995. However, silage yield was down by 3 tons per acre to 15 tons per acre, resulting in a 7 percent decrease in silage production to 285,000 tons. Growers received $3.55 per bushel for their grain, an increase of $1.25 from 1994's price of $2.30 per bushel. The increase in price produced a 16 percent rise in total crop value from 1994, to $25,752,000.

Soybean planted acres fell by 10,000 from 1994 to 140,000, while harvested acres decreased by 9,000 to 138,000 acres. Yield fell by 12.5 bushels per acre to 22.0 bushels per acre, from 1994's 34.5 bushels per acre. Overall, production decreased by 40 percent from 1994's 5,072,000 bushels to 3,036,000 bushels in 1995. There was a rise of $1.40 in the price received per bushel in 1995 to $6.65 per bushel, compared to 1994's return of $5.25 per bushel. However, due to the 12.5 bushel drop in yield, total crop value fell by 24 percent, from 1994's $26,628,000, to $20,189,000 in 1995.

The 36,000 acres planted to winter wheat was 9,000 acres less than 1994's 45,000; however, harvested acreage remained constant at 32,000 acres. Winter wheat yield rose by 15 bushels per acre from 1994's 42 bushels per acre, to a record yield of 57 bushels per acre in 1995. As a result, total production showed a 36 percent increase over 1994, to 1,824,000 bushels, compared to 1994's 1,344,000 bushels. The season average price of $3.75 per bushel was 75 cents more than the price received in 1994, producing a 70 percent increase in total crop value to $6,840,000.

Acres planted to rye in 1995 were 40,000 acres, 7,000 more than 1994's 33,000 acres. Harvested acreage increased by 3,000, over 1994's 5,000 acres, to 8,000 acres. Rye yield was unchanged from 1994's 38 bushels per acre. However, the increased in harvested acreage produced a 60 percent increase in production to 304,000 bushels, from 1994's 190,000 bushels. The season average price received by growers increased by 3 cents per bushel over 1994's $3.97, to $4.00 in 1995. Total crop value rose by 61 percent to $1,216,000 in 1995, from a value of $754,000 in 1994.

Barley planted acreage decreased by 2,000 acres, from 7,000 in 1994, to 5,000; however, harvested acreage remained constant at 5,000 acres. There was a 12 bushels per acre increase in yield to a near record 65 bushels per acre in 1995, up from 1994's 53 bushels per acre yield. As a result, production rose by 23 percent to 325,000 bushels from 1994's 265,000 bushels. The price received by growers increased by 40 cents per bushel, from 1994's $1.60 per bushel, to $2.00 in 1995. These factors resulted in a 54 per cent increase in total crop value over 1994's $424,000, to $650,000 in 1995.

Acres of all hay harvested in 1995 increased by 10,000 to 130,000, as a result of a rise in other hay harvested acres to 100,000, up from 1994's 90,000 acres. Alfalfa hay harvested acreage remained unchanged at 30,000 acres. Alfalfa yield was down by 0.20 tons per acre, from 1994's 3.70 tons per acre, to 3.50 tons per acre in 1995. Other hay yield, at 1.80 tons per acre, was unchanged from 1994. However, all hay production summed to 285,000 tons, up 4 percent from 1994, due to the increase in harvested acreage. The season average price of $119.00 per ton for all hay is an increase of $11.00 per ton from 1994's $108.00. Overall, total crop value rose 15 percent in 1995 to $33, 915,000.

Potato acreage continued to decline, showing a drop of 200 acres from 1994, to a new low of 2,700 planted acres, and 2,600 harvested acres. However, 1995 had a near record yield of 270 hundredweight per acre, 60 hundredweight per acre more than the 210 hundredweight per acre in 1994. Consequently, even with the decline in acreage, production showed a 19 percent increase over 1994's 588,000 hundredweight, to 702,000 hundredweight. Although the season average price decreased by 65 cents per hundredweight, from a price of $6.45 per hundredweight in 1994, to $5.80 per hundredweight in 1995; the production gain resulted in a 7 percent increase in total crop value to $4,072,000, up from 1994's $3,793,000.

In 1995, sweetpotato planted and harvested acreage remained unchanged from 1994 at 1,500 and 1,400 acres respectively. Sweetpotato yield increased by 40 hundredweight per acre, from 1994's 110 hundredweight per acre, to a new record of 150 hundredweight per acre. As a result, production rose by 36 percent from 1994, to 210,000 hundredweight. The season average price of $20.20 was $7.20 more than 1994's $13.00 per hundredweight. Consequently, total crop value more than doubled, from $2,002,000 in 1994, to $4,242,000 for 1995.

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