=========================================================== New England Agricultural Statistics Service - - - 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 =========================================================== Ag Review January 2005 Volume 25, Number 1 February 4, 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. This issue contains the results of monthly and quarterly surveys including the Potato Price Survey, fruit, vegetable, dairy, and poultry surveys, the 2004 Hog Report, and the December Agricultural Survey of field crops. In This Issue Chickens: Layers and Eggs Dairy Products Field Crops: Barley, Corn, Hay, Oats, Tobacco Fruit: Apples, Peaches, Pears, Cranberries, and Wild Blueberries Hay Stocks Hogs: Inventory, Farrowings, and Pig Crop Milk: Production and Price Potatoes: Acreage, Production, Stocks, and Prices Turkeys: Number Raised Vegetables: Sweet Corn FIELD CROPS: Unseasonably cool temperatures dominated the month of May, delayed planting schedules, and stunted germination of crops in the ground. Sun and heat finally arrived mid-June and allowed field entry to finish planting. A mix of rain and sun continued for most of July and provided crops with much needed sunshine and moisture, but frequent rains made haying difficult. Above average rainfall and lack of sunshine in August provided unfavorable growing conditions for many field crops, and harvest progress trailed last year and normal by month's end. September started off hot and humid with numerous thunderstorms. Heavy rains followed from the remnants of hurricanes Frances, Ivan and Jeanne. Wet weather finally gave way to sunshine in mid-September, and the 2004 crop season ended with ideal conditions for a fall harvest that extended well into October. New England dry hay production totaled 1.13 million tons in 2004, two percent under 2003. Although more acreage was cut for dry hay, farmers took fewer dry cuttings due to wet conditions and chopped for haylage instead. Acres harvested, at 605,000 acres, were four percent above the previous year, and the most acreage cut for dry hay in the region since 1999. Dry hay yields averaged 1.87 tons per acre in 2004, compared with 1.98 tons per acre a year earlier. - Page 1 of 5 Pages - Field Corn growers had 90 percent of the crop planted by mid-June, ahead of last year and normal; however, lack of heat and sunshine inhibited crop growth. Although lack of sunshine during the summer months delayed field corn maturity, adequate rainfall promoted a high yielding crop. By mid-September harvest was just getting underway; normally 20 percent is chopped by that time. Excellent harvesting conditions prevailed for the remainder of the fall, allowing harvest to progress rapidly. Silage corn yields averaged 20.2 tons per acre in 2004, well above the 18.4 tons per acre harvested in 2003, and the highest yielding crop on record for the region. Production in New England, at 3.6 million tons in 2004, was nine percent above 2003 total, and the largest corn silage crop produced in New England since 1998. Small grain planting proceeded at a fast pace in Maine, with 85 percent of the oats and barley acreage seeded by May 23, 2004, well ahead of 70 percent a year earlier and 65 percent normal. By mid-June crop emergence had neared completion, with stands in good to excellent condition. Crop conditions remained excellent until mid-August with the arrival of heavy rains and humidity. Wet fields and high moisture content of the grain forced harvest to proceed slowly. The last of the grains were combined by early October, on schedule as normal. Maine growers planted more acreage to oats and fewer acres to barley in 2004. Oats harvested for grain totaled 32,000 acres, an increase of 6,000 acres above the previous year, while barley acreage declined 5,000 acres to 22,000 acres harvested for grain. Oat yields averaged 75 bushels per acre in 2004, placing grain production at 2.4 million bushels, 18 percent above 2003 output. Excessive moisture reduced barley grain yields to an average of 65 bushels per acre. Barley production totaled 1.4 million bushels in 2004, 19 percent below the previous year. TOBACCO: The December 1, 2004 tobacco forecast placed broadleaf production at 4.0 million pounds in the Connecticut River Valley, 18 percent above 2003's disease-reduced crop. Cooler than normal temperatures delayed ripening of the 2004 crop, and broadleaf harvest was underway one to two weeks later than normal. Two severe storms hit at the end of June and middle of July, with high winds and heavy rains destroying entire fields. Blue mold did not appear in the Valley until early August; however, damage was generally light due to the late arrival of the disease and grower vigilance. Broadleaf yields are expected to average 1,681 pounds per acre in the two states according to early December assessments, compared with 1,429 pounds per acre in 2003. Shade production in the Connecticut River Valley is expected to total 1.9 million pounds in 2004, a 43 percent increase over the previous year's disease-reduced output. Yields are expected to average 1,592 pounds per acre, compared with the 1,253 pounds per acre average from a year earlier. Tobacco harvest was completed in most areas by mid-September, on schedule with normal. FRUIT: New England utilized apple production in 2004 totaled 4.3 million bushels (42-pound units), 12 percent the above 2003 utilized output. A cool, wet spring increased the incidence of apple scab and slowed bee activity in some areas. Poor pollination and winter kill from the lack of snow cover resulted in a poor start for the 2004 crop. In northern regions, a mix of sun and rain throughout the summer promoted a high yielding crop, whereas in southern regions, wet conditions limited full crop potential. Prolonged rains through mid-August delayed the start of early apple harvest. By mid-September, harvest had reached the halfway mark and conditions were rated as good to excellent in most areas. A preliminary estimate of utilized production placed 2004 New England crop value at $60.3 million, 21 percent above the previous year. A revised estimate of value - Page 2 of 5 Pages - will be available July 6, 2005, after the majority of the 2004 crop has been marketed. Breezy, cool weather at full bloom promoted less than optimal pollinating conditions for the 2004 Connecticut pear crop. Humid, wet weather persisted throughout the summer, resulting in average fruit set and size. Crop conditions at harvest were extremely variable, and ranged from very poor to good across the state. Utilized pear production in Connecticut totaled 36,000 bushels (50-pound units), 29 percent below last year's high yielding crop. The value of the 2004 pear crop in Connecticut was placed at $720,000, 43 percent below the 2003 value. A cool, wet spring also provided less than optimal pollinating weather for the 2004 Connecticut peach crop; however, timely rains during the growing season improved crop condition. The Massachusetts' peach crop suffered unfavorable wet, humid days during the summer months which resulted in poor growing conditions and lower yields. Harvest was underway by the last week of July, and winding down by the end of September, with overall crop condition good to fair and fruit size average. Utilized peach production in Connecticut and Massachusetts in 2004, totaled 75,000 bushels (48-pound units), 14 percent lower than the 2003 utilized output. The value of the 2004 peach crop in the two states was placed at $2.8 million, 13 percent below the 2003 value. Maine's 2004 wild blueberry crop totaled 46 million pounds, a decrease of 43 percent from the 2003 output, 26 percent below 2002 production and the lowest output in the state since 1991. Excessively cold winter conditions and the absence of snow cover resulted in extensive winter kill to the wild blueberry stems. A wet spring followed, providing less than optimum pollinating conditions and the excessive moisture increased the incidence of infection and blight by the mummyberry fungus. Rain fall in August was above normal and helped increase fruit size on the remaining berries. The price for processing berries in 2004 is expected to average 40 cents per pound, an increase of seven cents from 2003, and if realized, would result in a processing value of $18.3 million. Cranberry production in Massachusetts totaled 1.8 million barrels in 2004, a 28 percent increase from a year earlier. High yields offset fewer acres, resulting in the largest crop produced in the state since 2000. Yields averaged 127.9 barrels per acre, an increase of over 30 barrels per acre from the 2003 crop. Although the cold winter injured some vines, adequate heat and moisture in the late spring and early summer aided pollination and provided good to excellent growing conditions. Producers reported average to heavy bloom, above average set, and average fruit size in most bogs. Acreage harvested totaled 14,100 acres, 300 acres less than the previous year. Cranberry handlers were contacted in the fall of 2004 for their expected price paid to Massachusetts' growers for 2004 berries. The Massachusetts' 2004 preliminary price for fresh cranberries was $56.90 per barrel. The Massachusetts' 2004 preliminary price for processed cranberries was $32.70 per barrel. The next price update for the 2004 crop will be published in the Noncitrus Fruit and Nuts Summary scheduled for release on July 6, 2005. SWEET CORN: The 2004 sweet corn crop started out in good to fair condition, after a delayed planting season caused by cool, wet weather. Late spring frost and hail damaged early plantings, but a warm, dry June helped farmers to catch up. Seeding was completed by the beginning of July and harvest of early plantings began around the - Page 3 of 5 Pages - end of July. Mixed rain and sun in July helped late planted sweet corn catch up to early planted. Overcast and rainy conditions continued through much of August which delayed ripening and promoted earworm and corn borer problems in some areas. Seasonable temperatures in September helped to accelerate the fall harvest before the first major frost hit the region in early October. In New England, fresh market sweet corn production totaled 1.3 million hundredweight (cwt) in 2004, a 15 percent increase over the 2003 output due to increased acreage harvested and improved yields. Growers in the six-state region harvested 16,000 acres, with an average yield per acre of 79 cwt per acre, the highest yielding New England sweet corn crop since 1988. Massachusetts sweet corn producers led the New England States, producing 522,000 cwt with a yield of 90 cwt per acre in 2004. Rhode Island sweet corn producers also saw an average yield of 90 cwt per acre for the second year in a row and produced a state record of 99,000 cwt. Value of sweet corn production for New England was placed at $42.8 million, an increase of 21 percent from the 2003 value. POTATO STOCKS: Maine potato stocks on hand January 1, 2005, totaled 12.8 million cwt, six percent above 2004's January 1 holdings. Disappearance to January 1 in the state totaled 6.4 million cwt, compared with 4.9 million cwt a year earlier. Storage accounted for 67 percent of Maine's total production, compared with the previous five-year average of 69 percent. Of the stocks on hand January 1 in Maine, 54 percent were russet varieties, 42 percent were round whites, three percent were reds, and one percent were long whites. The 15 major potato states held 238 million cwt of potatoes in storage January 1, 2005, up two percent from last year and three percent above 2003. Potatoes in storage accounted for 59 percent of the 2004 fall storage states' production, one percentage point above last year. Stocks by type show a smaller percentage of reds and round whites but a larger percentage of long whites and russets than a year ago. Disappearance of 165 million cwt of potatoes is down three percent from last year and six percent below two years ago. Shrink and loss, at 20.0 million cwt so far this season, is up 15 percent from last year and 10 percent above the same date in 2003. Processors in the nine major states used 86.0 million cwt of potatoes this season, down two percent from a year ago and seven percent below two years ago. Dehydrating usage accounted for 17.0 million cwt of the total processing, down eight percent from last year and 13 percent below the same date in 2003. December 1, 2004, stocks were revised up fractionally, with changes in Nebraska, New York, and Pennsylvania. Maine's Potato Acreage Yield, Size and Grade report was published January 14, 2005. Potato size and grade measurements were also published for the seven major states in the Potato Stocks report issued December 15, 2005. Both reports are available from the NASS website at www.usda.gov/nass/. HOGS: On December 1, 2004, the New England inventory of hogs and pigs totaled 28,800 head, an increase of two percent from 2003. Massachusetts accounted for over 40 percent of New England's hog inventory with 12,000 head. The average litter rate for New England in 2004 was 7.4 pigs per litter, 1.5 pigs per litter less than the 8.9 National litter rate. MILK PRODUCTION: Milk production in Vermont totaled 217 million pounds for the month of December 2004, a decrease of one percent from December 2003. There were an estimated 143,000 milk cows on Vermont farms during the month, a decrease of 1,000 head from the previous month. Milk production per cow averaged 1,515 pounds an increase of 10 pounds per cow from December 2003. Milk production in New England totaled just over 1.0 billion pounds for the fourth quarter (October - December) of 2004, down two percent from the same quarter in 2003. There was an average of 231,100 head of milk cows on New England farms during the fourth quarter of 2004, a decrease of 3,000 cows from the previous quarter. Milk production per cow averaged 4,446 pounds across New England, an increase of nearly 30 pounds per cow from the same quarter the previous year. - Page 4 of 5 Pages - Milk production in the United States was 41.9 billion pounds during the fourth quarter of 2004, an increase of one percent from the fourth quarter of 2003. There were 9.0 million milk cows in the United States during the fourth quarter of 2004. The United States' average quarterly rate was 4,646 pounds per cow during the fourth quarter of 2004, an increase of 37 pounds per cow from the same quarter the previous year. TURKEYS: Producers from four New England states, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont, raised 131,000 turkeys in 2004, down three percent from the 2003 count. Farmers in Massachusetts raised 53 percent of that total, while Vermont contributed 40 percent. The National total of 264 million turkeys raised in 2004 was down about four percent from the 2003 total. - Page 5 of 5 Pages - ****************end of report**********************************************