No. 298 July 1, 1950
INDIANA CROPS AND LIVESTOCK
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
COOPERATING WITH
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS
WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA
INDIANA
On July 1 Indiana corn gave promise| of a production of 226,416,000 bushels, 92 percent
of last year but 109 percent of the 1939-48average. Condition is reported higher in the
south than in the north. There is stlll some yellow corn from standing water resulting
from June rainfall above average. The 4,272,000 acres for harvest is 90 percent of last
year but almost equal to the ten year average. Stocks of corn on farms were 77,476,000
bushels, 79 percent of last year but 166 percent of average.
Wheat prospects gained a mishel per acre in June and expected production is 30,114,000
bushels, only 76 percent of last year though 107 percent of average. Improvement was
rather uniform over the state, and the 21.0 bushels per acre indicated is supported by
harvest returns in southern counties. Stocks of old wheat on farms of only 593,000 bushels
sets a new low for carry over in at least recent years.
Indicated production of 50,616,000 bushels of oats is 97 percent of last year, and 112
percent of average. The acreage for harvest of 1,406,000 is 97 percent of last year, and
110 percent of average. Oats carry over on farms of 7,257,000 bushels is 136 percent of
average.
Barley and rye acreages are about 125 percent of last year and apparent yields near
average. Production indicated is 625,000 bushels of barley and 949,000 bushels of rye.
The acreage of soybeans for all purposes of 1,797,000 is 114 percent of last year. The
expected acreage for beans, 1,680,000 is 117 percent of last year.
A popcorn acreage of 21,000 is 169 percent of last year and 153 percent of average.
Tobacco acreage is the same as last year but promises a higher yield. The production
forecast of 13,640,000 pounds is 102 percent of last year.
Hay production is forecast at 2,443,000 tons or 10 percent more than last year. The
acreage of alfalfa remains at 500,000 while clover and timothy increased 32 percent to
979,000. Much hay was damaged by June rains. Pasture condition at 94 percent of normal
is 2 points better than last year and 4 points above average.
Fruit prospects are far below usual. Commercial apples forecast as 952,000 bushels are
71 percent of average; peaches at 192,000 bushels are 42 percent of average; pears,
132,000 bushels, 79 percent of average; and grapes, 2,200 tons, 94 percent of average.
June egg production was 194 million the same as last year. Production since January 1
is 1,314 million eggs or 14 million above last year.
Milk production in June was 353 million pounds or 7 million below a year ago though
just the ten year average. January to June production was 1,751 million pounds this year
and 1,780 million last year.
UNITED STATES
Total crop production in 1950 will be considerably less than in 1948 and 1949; nevertheless, it may exceed that in 5 out of the last 8 years of high production and will be
much larger than in any year prior to 1942. Large acreages that are usually in corn,
wheat, cotton and other crops now under allotment programs, have been diverted to uses
that will contribute less to this year's production total. The season was adverse for seeding
spring small grains, but since mid-May some of the backwardness has been overcome and
yield prospects have improved. Larger acreages of corn, soybeans, sorghums and hay
than intended earlier have been planted under mostly favorable conditions. These increases more than offset decreases in spring grains. Still the total acreage in crops is
nearly 13 million acres less than in 1949 and 7 million less than in 1948. Aggregate
production, based upon current forecasts, may be 24 percent above the 1923-32 average
and nearly equal to the average of the past 8 seasons.
Contributing heaviest, as usual, to the aggregate crop production, are the feed grains.
These include 3,176 million bushels of corn and 1,395 million bushels of oats, both of
which are much larger than average crops; 265 million bushels of barley, which is more
than last year, but below average; and a sorghum grain crop likely to be well above
average, perhaps as large as in 1949. With a heavy carry-over, dominated by unusually
large stocks of corn, farm supplies of feed grains per animal unit will be exceeded only
by those of the last 2 years. Hay supplies will also be ample, perhaps largest of record
per hay-consuming animal unit. The food grain total may be the smallest in 7 years,
with the wheat crop less than a billion bushels, rye less than 22 million bushels, rice
production above average but one-eighth smaller than last year, and only a small buckwheat crop likely. Among the oilseeds, the large acreage in soybeans tends to indicate
record production of soybeans for beans; but cottonseed and peanuts will be harvested