INCOME

Cash receipts from all New Jersey commodities in 1996 totaled $801 million. This was up 3.6 percent from the 1995 cash receipt total of $773.2 million. Increased receipts for fruit, vegetables and field crops were responsible for the $27.7 million increase.

Receipts for field crops in 1996 totaled $68.8 million compared with $59.7 million in 1995, an increase of 15 percent. Increases in receipts for corn, soybeans, wheat, hay and sweet potatoes offset decreased receipts for potatoes and other field crops.

Income from vegetables totaled $177.5 million in 1996 compared with the 1995 value of $169.4 million, a 5 percent increase. Decreases in receipts for tomatoes, snap beans, cucumbers and miscellaneous vegetables were the result of either a reduction in acreage or lower prices. Higher receipts were generated for sweet corn, lettuce, asparagus, peppers, cabbage, spinach, escarole and eggplant. Receipts for processed vegetables were higher in 1996. Cash receipts for miscellaneous vegetables decreased 12.4 percent to $49.2 million from $56.2 million in 1995.

Cash receipts from all fruits and berries totaled $102.1 million in 1996, up 14.8 percent from 1995 returns of $88.9 million. Receipts for 1996 peaches were $33.7 million up from $26.2 million in 1995.

Blueberry receipts were up $6.5 million to $33.0 million due to higher prices. Cranberry receipts in 1996 increased slightly from 1995 to $22.8 million. Income from apples decreased to $8.8 million from $11.2 million in 1995. Strawberry receipts increased 16.6 percent to $1.1 million in 1996 while cash receipts for other fruits and berries increased from $1.4 million in 1995 to $2.8 million in 1996.

Cash receipts from livestock and poultry and their products totaled $195.6 million, a slight decrease from $196.2 million in 1995. Receipts from the equine industry, excluding purse and stake payments, totaled $108.0 million.
Dairy products were the second largest livestock category with 1996 cash receipts of $44.8 million, up 6.7 percent from $42.0 million in 1995. Cash receipts from all poultry and eggs was $31.2 million, up 16.9 percent from 1995 while cash receipts from cattle and calves decreased 20.7 percent from 1995 to $7.3 million in 1996.

Total production expenditures in 1996 were $678.3 million compared with $681.1 million in 1995. This slight decrease was primarily attributable to a decrease in marketing, storage and transportation expenses. By component, the decreases between 1995 and 1996 were: feed - $3.8 million; livestock and poultry purchased - $1.0 million; fertilizer and lime - $1.0 million; pesticides - $3.1 million; electricity - $0.5 million; repair and maintenance - $0.4 million; machine hire and custom work - $3.2 million; marketing, storage and transportation expenses - $6.1

million and miscellaneous expenses - $3.0 million. Increases in operating expenses between 1995 and 1996 occurred for: Seed purchased - $6.7 million; petroleum fuel and oils - $1.6 million; contract labor - $2.4 million; property taxes - $0.9 million and capital consumption - $0.4 million.

On the income side, cash receipts in 1996, at $801.0 million were up 3.6 percent from the 1995 total of $773.2 million. Government payments decreased from $5.5 million to $3.3 million in 1996. Non-money income increased from $81.5 million in 1995 to $83.7 million in 1996. Other farm income in 1996 was $44.4 million, down from $51.0 million in 1995. Total gross farm income in 1996 was $938.9 million which was up 3 percent from $908.0 million in 1995. Total net farm income in 1996 was $260.6 million which was up 15 percent from $226.9 million in 1995.

The average per acre value of farmland and buildings for 1997 was $8,290, up $118 from the 1996 value of $8,172 per acre. This is the highest average value per acre in the nation.