January Cattle Inventory Up 1 Percent           Information on the combined U.S. and Canadian cattle inventories was requested by the U.S. cattle industry to provide producers additional information about potential beef supplies. All cattle and calves in the U. S. and Canada combined totaled 110.9 million head on January 1, 2005, up 1 percent from a year ago. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 48.4 million head, was up 1 percent from a year ago.           All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2005, totaled 95.8 million head, 1 percent above the 94.9 million on January 1, 2004 and slightly below the 96.1 million two years ago. Nevada’s cattle inventory was estimated at 500,000 head, compared with 510,000 head a year earlier.           All cattle and calves in Canada as of January 1, 2005, totaled 15.1 million head, up 3 percent from the 14.7 million on Janaury 1, 2004, and 12 percent above the 13.5 million two years ago. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 6.4 million, was up 5 percent from the 6.1 million on January 1, 2004, and 10 percent above the 5.8 million from two years ago.

Farms and Ranches Down Slightly in 2004

 

          The number of farms in the United States in 2004 is estimated at 2.11 million, 0.6 percent fewer than in 2003. The decline in farm numbers occurred in the 2 smallest economic sales classes and rose in the 3 largest economic sales classes. Total land in farms, at 936.6 million acres, decreased 2,250,000 acres from 2003. The average size farm during 2004 was 443 acres, an increase of two acres from the previous year. The decline in the number of farms and land in farms reflects a continuing consolidation in farming operations and competition for agricultural land for other uses.

          Nevada farms numbers remained unchanged from the previous year at 3,000 farms. Land in farms was also unchanged at 6,300,000 acres in 2004, with the average size farm in Nevada at 2,100 acres.

Value of Crop Production Up in 2004

          Recently released estimates show the value of Nevada’s principal crops in 2004 up 11 percent from 2003 at 206.4 million dollars. The value of production of Nevada’s principal crops in 2003 was 186.3 million dollars and 4 percent higher than 2002. Higher hay prices accounted for most of the increase. Value of all wheat was up with spring wheat up over 200 percent while the value of winter wheat was up about 37 percent. Value of alfalfa seed was also up slightly, value of onions were up while value of garlic was down from 2003. Value of the mint for oil was up nearly 9 percent.

Nevada Hay Prices

            Nevada hay prices for February were up for All Hay and Alfalfa and other Hay, while alfalfa mixtures came in slightly lower. The All Hay price came in at $107.00 per ton with Alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures at $106.00 per ton and All Other Hay at $118.00 per ton. January hay prices were $105.00 for All Hay, $102.00 for Alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures, and $126.00 for All Other Hay. On a National level All Hay came in at $84.70. per ton, up .50 cent from January. Alfalfa at $91.90 per ton, up $1.00 up from last month. All Other Hay averaged $70.00 per ton, slightly down $.60.

            These prices are the result of our monthly Hay Prices Received By Farmers survey. Reporters include both producers and dealers. These prices represent average price at point of first sale for all grades and qualities sold. The average price concept is that price which would result from dividing the total dollars received by all farmers, before any marketing charges are deducted, by total quantity sold.

Honey Production

          Honey production in Nevada during 2004 totaled an estimated 770,000 pounds, derived from 14,000 bee colonies producing an average of 55 pounds of honey each. This was up almost 50 percent from the 384,000 pounds produced in 2003. The average price received by Nevada honey producers was $3.30 per pound, making the value of the crop $2,541,000.

 

          United States Honey production in 2004 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 184 million pounds, up 1 percent from 2003. There were 2.56 million colonies producing honey in 2004, down 2 percent from 2003. Yield per colony averaged 71.8 pounds, up 3 percent from 69.9 in 2003. Honey prices decreased during 2004 to 108.5 cents, down 22 percent from 138.7 cents in 2003.

 

 Honey: Number of Colonies, Yield, Production, Stocks, Price,

and Value by Western State and United States, 2004 1/

State	Honey/Colonies	Yield/Colony	Production	Stocks	Average/Price	Value/Production
AZ	32	55	1,760	774	115	2,024
CA	390	45	17,550	5,792	101	17,726
CO	23	80	1,840	791	148	2,723
ID	100	63	6,300	2,520	101	6,363
MT	140	77	10,780	3,773	106	11,427
NV	14	55	770	316	330	2,541
NM	8	44	352	127	122	429
ND	390	78	30,420	9,126	105	31,941
OR	42	54	2,268	1,111	124	2,812
SD	215	105	22,575	13,545	106	23,930
TX	116	76	8,816	1,411	96	8,463
UT	23	70	1,610	531	104	1,674
WA	56	63	3,528	1,376	103	3,634
WY	39	75	2,925	380	109	3,188
US	2,556	71.8	183,582	61,222	108.5	201,790

1/ For producers with 5 or more colonies. Colonies which produced honey in more than

one State were counted in each State.

2/ Stocks held by producers.

3/ Prices weighted by sales.

4/ Total colonies multiplied by total yield may not exactly equal production.

5/ U.S. value of production is U.S. production multiplied by U.S. price per pound.

 

  

 

February Crop Weather Summary

          High pressure over the State early in the month trapped moist air and produced several foggy days. This was followed by a series of storms that were relatively weak in the north but much more significant in the south. Rainfall accumulation in Las Vegas approached record levels. Snow pack in the Sierra remained well above normal, but eastern Nevada ranges held near to below normal snow. Snow cover on many winter ranges made supplemental livestock feeding necessary. Calving was getting underway in the lower elevations. Good soil moisture supplies benefitted early range conditions in the south with widespread greening noted. Early grasses and weeds were beginning to appear in the north by the end of the month. Fall seeded crops were overwintering well. Main farm and ranch activities: equipment maintenance, livestock care, fence repairs, crop and livestock marketing, industry meetings.

 

Monthly Weather Summary for Selected Nevada Stations, February 2005