No. 470 August 1,1964
INDIANA CROPS AND LIVESTOCK
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
STATISTICAL REPORTING SERVICE
COOPERATING WITH
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS
WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA
INDIANA
As of August 1, 1964, progress of Indiana crops was ahead of usual. July precipitation
was slightly below normal and by the end of the month, some areas reported moisture
shortages. The August 1 production forecasts for Indiana crops indicate larger production than last year for corn, soybeans, grain sorghum, apples, and peaches, but
smaller production for wheat, oats, barley, rye, hay, tobacco and potatoes.
Corn yield on August 1 is forecast at 90 bushels per acre, a record high, and 3 bushels
above the 1963 estimate. With the acreage of corn for grain set at 4,642,000 acres,
production is expected to total 417,780,000 bushels, 3 percent above last year and 31
percent above average. High temperatures, high humidity, and adequate moisture
prevailed through mid-July. Corn made rapid growth in most areas of Indiana during
the month.
The 1964 winter wheat production estimated at 50,480,000 bushels is 7 percent below
last year, but 27 percent above average. Harvest of the 1964 wheat was virtually
completed by August 1, about one week ahead of usual.
Soybean production forecast at 78,848,000 bushels is the largest on record, 6 percent
above the 1963 crop and 17 percent above average. Yield is expected to be 28.0 bushels
per acre, slightly above the 27.5 bushels per acre last year. Although soybeans got
off to a slow start, by August 1 the crop was progressing rapidly in most areas.
Oat production in Indiana at 16,698,000 bushels in 1964 is 44 percent less than last
year, and 56 percent less than average. Oats harvest was also ahead of usual. By the
first of August, 95 per cent of the crop was harvested compared with a usual of 85
percent.
Production of sorghum for grain is expected to total 715,000 bushels, 5 percent
above last year's crop, but 29 percent less than the 1958-62 average. Acreage is estimated at 11,000 acres as compared with 10,000 acres last year. Yield is forecast at
65.0 bushels per acre, 3 bushels less than last year.
Barley production is estimated at 722,000 bushels, 40 percent below last year, and
58 percent below average. The August 1 forecast of rye production in Indiana is 924,000
bushels, 29 percent less than the 1963 production and 25 percent below average.
The 1964 all hay crop is expected to total 2,450,000 tons, 1 percent less than last
year and 3 percent below average. Total acreage at 1,275,000 acres is down 3 percent
from last year and 8 percent below average. Alfalfa hay production is forecast at
1,382,000 tons—up 2 percent from last year. Clover-timothy hay production is expected
to total 898,000 tons—down 7 percent from 1963.
Commercial apple production is forecast at 2,400,000 bushels, 60 percent greater
than last year's production, and 33 percent larger than average. If this prediction holds
true, this year's crop will be the largest since 1937. The August 1 peach production
forecast at 530,000 bushels is up sharply from the near failure crop of 10,000 bushels
in 1963.
July milk production totaled 314 million pounds, 2 percent more than July a year
ago. Egg production in July totaled 177 million eggs, down 4 percent from the same
month last year. The cumulative production of eggs from January through July
totals 1,346 million, 1 percent less than for this same period a year ago.
UNITED STATES
Above normal July temperatures hastened crop development in the mid-continent,
but emphasized the needs for moisture. Crop prospects continued generally favorable in
the central Corn Belt area and improved markedly along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, but
showed some deterioration in the Great Plains states. Some Mississippi Valley areas also
were too dry for good crop development but conditions were generally favorable in
Western areas of the country.