=========================================================== New England Agricultural Statistics - - - a field office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service United States Department of Agriculture Aubrey R. Davis, Director Phone: (603) 224-9639 22 Bridge St, 3rd Floor Fax: (603) 225-1434 PO Box 1444 Internet: http://www.usda.gov/nass/ Concord, NH 03302-1444 E-Mail: nass.nh@nass.usda.gov =========================================================== JULY AG REVIEW JuLY 25, 2005 The following is an abbreviated version of the report. The entire document is available as a PDF file on the Internet through: http://www.nass.usda.gov/nh/ =========================================================== A special “Thank you” goes to New England producers and agri-businesses who have helped us by completing surveys via mail, telephone or personal interviews. FIELD CROPS: Field corn acreage planted across New England in 2005 totaled 189,000 acres, one percent under 2004. By mid June, 90 percent of the 2005 crop was planted, on pace with last year and ahead of normal. Also, the crop had emerged 70 percent and was reported in good condition; however, warmer, sunny days were needed. Cool, rainy conditions throughout the month of May prevented farmers from planting corn early. Heat and sun finally arrived in early June, warming up soils to enhance corn development and growth. Based on planting intentions as of June 1, Maine farmers expect to harvest 29,000 acres of oats for grain and 22,000 acres of barley for grain in 2005. Cool, wet spring conditions throughout the month of May delayed planting and crop development as much as two weeks in northern Maine, where the bulk of the state’s grains are grown. Planting had only reached the halfway mark by the end of May, compared with normal of 85 percent seeded. A mix of heat and timely rains kept crop conditions in the good to fair range as of mid-July, with grains beginning to show signs of stress from lack of moisture. New England farmers expect to cut 573,000 acres for dry hay in 2005, a five percent decrease from last year’s dry hay harvest. Alfalfa acreage to be cut for dry hay across New England was forecasted at 77,000 acres, three percent below 2004’s acreage. There were 496,000 acres of other dry hay expected to be cut, which is a six percent decrease from the previous year. By the end of the first week of July, 80 percent of the first cutting of dry hay was completed and was rated in good to fair condition across New England. TOBACCO: Growers in Connecticut and Massachusetts intend to harvest 2,400 acres of broadleaf tobacco in 2005, fractionally below the previous year’s harvested acreage. Cool, wet conditions during the month of May slowed growth of transplants in the greenhouses. The sun finally appeared the first week in June, and broadleaf progress advanced to 85 percent set out by June 19, behind last year’s progress, but ahead of normal. As of mid-July the outdoor crop was rated in good condition, with growers actively scouting for insects and disease. Shade tobacco growers intend to harvest 1,200 acres in 2005, a three percent increase from a year earlier. Shade acreage was 100 percent transplanted in the Connecticut River Valley by June 5, ahead of last year and normal. FALL POTATOES: Based on planting intentions as of June 1, Maine farmers planted 55,500 acres of fall potatoes in 2005, a reduction of 8,000 acres from the previous year, and the smallest acreage planted in the state since 1887. Cool, wet conditions during the month of May delayed planting by two weeks in Maine’s potato growing region, Aroostook county. As of June 1, the crop was only 20 percent planted, compared with 95 percent a year earlier and normal of 80 percent planted. Seeding was nearly complete by mid-June, however emergence was slow due to cool soil temperatures. July’s heat and timely rains promoted rapid crop growth, and at mid-month, crop specialists had rated the crop as good or excellent statewide. In Maine, acreage planted by type for 2005 averaged 48 percent white varieties, 48 percent russet, and four percent reds; a higher percentage of russets and lower percentage of whites and reds than a year earlier. Nationally, area planted to fall potatoes for 2005 was estimated at 970,400 acres, down seven percent from last year and 12 percent below 2003. Harvested acres were forecast at 955,700, down seven percent from 2004 and 12 percent below two years ago. This was the lowest planted and harvested fall potato acreage in the U.S. since 1957. The reduction was due in part to economic pressures, industry acreage reduction programs, and inclement weather at planting. PEACHES: The Connecticut peach crop forecast was 33,000 bushels as of July 1, 2005, down six percent from last year. A long snowy winter and a wet cold spring resulted in late peach development. The Massachusetts peach production forecast was 44,000 bushels, as of July 1, 2005, up ten percent from 2004. In parts of Massachusetts, a record amount of snow fell during the winter months, and some areas experienced winterkill due to extended periods of below zero temperatures. Areas hit by frost and freeze conditions during bloom suffered severe or total losses, while orchards which escaped the frigid temperatures reported significant increases from last year’s unusually low production. The sun finally arrived in June which resulted in improved peach conditions. The peach crop was rated good to fair at the beginning of July. 2004 REVISED FRUITS: The 2004 New England apple crop available for utilization totaled 4.1 million bushels (42-pound units), up six percent from 2003. An unfavorable, wet spring caused scabbing on apples in some areas. Full crop potential was also limited by winterkill, deer problems, hail damage and poor pollination due to limited/nonexistent bee activity in the southern states; however, warm June weather provided favorable growing conditions in the northern states. Early apple harvest began in mid-August slightly behind schedule. The arrival of warm, dry days in late September improved harvest conditions and growers finished the season on schedule. The total value of utilized apple production in New England for 2004 was placed at $54.1 million, up nine percent from 2003. Utilized production for Connecticut peaches in 2004 was estimated at 35,000 bushels, up 13 percent from 2003. In Massachusetts, utilized production totaled 40,000 bushels, down 29 percent from the previous year. The value of utilized peach production for both states was placed at $2.8 million, down 13 percent from 2003. Connecticut pear utilized production for 2004 weighed in at 900 tons, down 29 percent from the 2003 crop. Total value of utilized pear production for 2004 was placed at $720,000, down 43 percent from the previous year. Cranberry production in Massachusetts during 2004 totaled 1.81 million barrels, a 29 percent increase from 2003’s output. An estimated 92 percent of the production was designated for processing, while the remaining eight percent was utilized as f resh fruit. Growers harvested 14,100 acres, 300 fewer acres than the previous year. The crop yielded 128.2 barrels per acre. The average price per barrel in 2004 for processed cranberries was $32.50, an increase of 20 cents from a year earlier. The average price per barrel in 2004 for fresh cranberries was $56.30, unchanged from a year earlier. Maine’s wild blueberry crop totaled 46.0 million pounds in 2004. This total represents a decrease of 43 percent from the 2003 output of 80.4 million pounds, 26 percent below 2002 final production, and the lowest output in the state since 1991. The average price per pound for berries sold for processing in 2004 was 45 cents, a 12 cent increase over a year earlier. The total value of Maine’s 2004 wild blueberry crop was placed at $20.6 million, down 22 percent from 2003 value, due to decreased production. The first forecast of Maine’s 2005 wild blueberry crop will be published in a special report Maine Wild Blueberries, scheduled for release on July 29, 2005. Milk: Milk production in Vermont totaled 224 million pounds in June 2005 an increase of three percent from June 2004. There were an estimated 143,000 milk cows on Vermont farms, a decrease of 2,000 head from the same month the previous year. Milk production per cow averaged 1,565 pounds an increase of nearly five percent from June 2004. Milk production during the second quarter (April – June) of 2005 totaled 1.11 billion pounds in New England, an increase of three percent from the same period last year. There were an estimated 231,000 milk cows on New England farms, a decrease of 2,200 milk cows from the second quarter of 2004. Milk production per cow averaged 4,787 pounds during the second quarter of 2005, an increase of four percent from the same quarter in 2004. Milk production in the United States during the second quarter of this year totaled 45.6 billion pounds, an increase of four percent from the second quarter of 2004. There were 9.0 million milk cows in the United States during the second quarter of the year, unchanged from the same period in 2004. The average quarterly rate was 5,051 pounds per cow during the second quarter of the year, an increase of nearly four percent from the previous year. This is a monthly summary of New England agricultural statistics taken from nationwide reports issued by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. All National reports and State newsletters are available on the Internet at: http://www.usda.gov/nass/ National reports can be ordered by calling 1-800-999-6779. How can you get these reports electronically? * For free National e-mail reports, send a message to: usda-reports@usda.mannlib.cornell.edu and in the body of the message, type: lists * For free State newsletters, such as this, send a message to: listserv@newsbox.usda.gov and in the body, type: subscribe usda-new-eng-all-reports OR for a list of all available reports, type: lists for other states. **************************End of Report****************************