No. 519 August 1,1968
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 47907
INDIANA
July rainfall was widely scattered and covered most of the state at one time or another.
While considerable dryness was evident at mid-month, rains after July 15 soon took care
of the situation, and ample moisture was available the last half of the month. Early
August rains have been very helpful and came at the critical corn silking time.
The development of the 1968 Indiana corn crop is ahead of a year ago, and about 75
percent of the crop has tasselled. The corn yield, estimated at 92.0 bushels per acre, is
8.0 bushels higher than last year and 9.4 bushels above average. This is the second
highest yield of record. Production at 431,572,000 bushels is 4 percent below the 1967
crop but 15 percent above average.
Winter wheat production is estimated at 37.0 bushels per acre. This yield is equal to
last year and 0.1 of a bushel above the 5-year average. Production at 40,182,000 bushels
is 17 percent below last year and 9 percent below average. Harvest is not quite complete
in East Central Indiana.
Oats harvest was 80 percent complete on August 2—15 percent above last year, but
5 percent below average. The August 1 yield at 64.0 bushels per acre compares with
48.0 bushels last year, and an average of 52.8 bushels per acre. Total production of
24,128,000 bushels is 68 percent above last year and 4 percent above average.
The first forecast of the Indiana soybean crop places the estimated yield at 27.0
bushels per acre—2.5 bushels above last year and 0.2 of a bushel above average. Total
production of 81,378,000 bushels is 16 percent above 1967 and 10 percent above
average.
Hay production is expected to total 2,160,000 tons—14 percent above last year but
12 percent below the 5-year average. Alfalfa hay accounts for 1,166,000 tons; clover-
timothy, 851,000 tons; lespedeza, 35,000 tons; and other hay, 108,000 tons.
The yield per acre of tobacco at 2,400 pounds is unchanged from a month earlier, and
15 pounds above the 1967 yield. Production of 13,920,000 pounds is 1 percent above last
year but 12 percent below average.
July milk production is estimated at 213 million pounds, down 3 percent from both July
last year, and June of this year. Egg production for July totaled 244 million eggs, 19
percentmore than July 1967. The rate of lay at 1,910 eggs per 100 layers was 2 percent
more than in July 1967.
Apple production at 62.0 million pounds is down 13.6 million from 1967 production.
Peach production at 6.0 million pounds is down 1.2 million pounds from last year.
UNITED STATES
Prospects for most major crops improved during July because moisture was favorable
in most areas. Crop development is ahead of last year in the important North Central
States.
The August 1 "all crops" production index of 121 is 4 points (3 percent) above last
year's record high. Food grains and oilseeds are above last year and feed grain tonnage
is expected to be nearly as large as a year ago. The August 1 composite index of yield
per acre covering 28 leading crops is 129, a record high, and 5 points above last year's
index of 124.
Crop progress at the end of July was generally ahead of a year earlier in the important
North Central States. Progress was about normal in the western half of the area but
continued to lag behind in the East. Frequent showers the last half of July relieved mois-
ture shortages developing across the southern half of the Corn Belt from eastern Kansas
and Nebraska to Ohio. Because of the spotty nature of the showers, many local areas
were still dry on August 1. Moisture supplies were generally adequate across the northern Corn Belt from South Dakota to Michigan except parts of North Dakota. Cumulative
moisture shortages since April 1 in parts of southwest Iowa, eastern and southwestern
Nebraska have caused some damage to row crops, particularly corn.
Condition of pasture feed declined seasonally during July but on August 1 was 9 points
above average. Pastures are supplying well above the usual amounts of feed in the North
Atlantic and East North Central Regions and in most States in the South Atlantic and
South Central Regions. For the Nation, pasture condition on August 1 was 82 percent of
normal compared with 85 percent last year and the average of 73 percent.
Production of corn for grain on August 1 is forecast at 4.6 billion bushels—2 percent