Release No. 0017.96

                  Jim Brueggen, NASS, (202) 720-4889, jbrueggen@ag.gov
       Raymond L. Bridge, WAOB, (202) 720-5447, a38rbridge@attmail.com

USDA RESCHEDULES CROP REPORTS

      WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 1996--The United States Department of Agriculture
has postponed crops reports scheduled for release earlier this week until
Friday, Jan. 12 and Tuesday, Jan. 16 because of delays caused by the recent
blizzard.

      Release of the Crop Production Annual Summary, Grain Stocks, Rice
Stocks, Winter Wheat and Rye Seedings reports and the World Agricultural
Supply and Demand Estimates report has been postponed from 8:30 a.m. ET today
until 8:30 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Jan. 16. The federal government will be closed
Monday, Jan. 15, for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

      The Crop Production report, which provides U.S. cotton and citrus
production estimates, the Cotton Ginnings report, and the World Agricultural
Supply and Demand Estimates for Cotton report will be released at 3:00 p.m. ET
Friday, Jan. 12.  Another winter storm is forecast for the Washington, D.C.
area tonight and tomorrow.  If the storm forces a complete shutdown of area
federal offices on Friday, Jan. 12, these three reports will be released
Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 8:30 a.m. ET.

      In addition, the Jan. 10 Broiler Hatchery report is rescheduled to 3:00
p.m. today (Jan. 11).  This week's Egg Products, Potato Stocks, and Turkey
Hatchery reports are rescheduled for release at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 16.

      The World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates reports are issued by
USDA's World Agricultural Outlook Board; the other reports are issued by
USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

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