Economic and Marketing Information
FOR INDIANA  FARMERS
Prepared by the Agricultural Staff of Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana        
November  30,   1965
Trends in Indiana Corn Production
by Paul R. Robbins, Agricultural Economics
Corn has long been the most important crop in Indiana. Trends of
the past decade indicate that corn
is becoming even more important in
Indiana  agriculture.
Many factors point to Indiana's
strong competitive position in corn
production. During the decade 1951-
54 to 1961-64, Indiana's share of
total U.S. corn production increased
from 8.6 to 9.4 percent. During this
same period U.S. corn acreage for
grain, declined about 18 percent while
Indiana's corn acreage declined less
than 5 percent. Indiana's corn yield
increased about 27 bushels per acre
while U.S. yield increased about 26
bushels. However, Feed Grain Program diversions of less productive
acres was more important in raising
average U.S. corn yield than was
true for  Indiana.
But, average figures for the state
tell a very incomplete story about
what is happening in corn production in the various areas of Indiana.
Some parts of the state are rapidly
improving their competitive position
in corn production while other areas
are becoming less competitive.
Major Changes in Indiana
Corn Production
Indiana corn acreage, for grain,
declined 4.7 percent during the decade 1951-54 to 1961-64. But, change
in acreage during this period ranged
from a decline of 40 percent or more
in a few of the rolling land counties
of southern Indiana to an increase
in acreage of 10 percent or more in
a few of the level land counties of
central Indiana. Figure 1 shows percentage change in corn acreage by
crop districts.
Indiana average corn yield increased about 52 percent during the past
decade. But, yield increases ranged
from 70 to 80 percent across southern Indiana to 29 percent in northeast Indiana, Figure 2.
Average corn yield for the state increased from 52 bushels in the 1951-
Figure 1. Percentage change in average corn acreage by crop reporting
districts from 1951-54 to 1961-64.
The  state  average  percent  decrease
was — 4.7.
54 period to 79 in the 1961-64 period
or 27 bushels increase during the
decade. But, per acre yield increases
ranged from 32 bushels in northwestern and southwestern Indiana to 16
bushels in northeastern Indiana, Figure 3.
Annual corn production in Indiana
averaged 243 million bushels during
the 1951-54 period. This had increased 44 percent to about 350 million
bushels annually in 1961-64. During
this 10 year period total corn production increased 55 to 65 percent in
the western one-third of the state, 40
to 45 percent in central and north
central Indiana, 33 percent in east
central Indiana and 20 to 25 percent
in northeast, south central and southeast Indiana. During the past decade
each of the three crop reporting districts in the western one-third of the
state increased its share of total In-
Figure 2. Percentage change in the
average corn yield by crop reporting
districts from 1951-54 to 1961-64.
State average percent increase was
51.5.
diana corn production. Each district
in the eastern two-thirds of the state
declined somewhat in its share of
total Indiana corn production, Figure 4.
Why Changes Were Made
Many forces are at work shaping
the pattern of Indiana corn production. Some of the more important
forces  appear to be:
1. Increased mechanization and
larger equipment puts the rolling and
rough land areas at a greater disadvantage in corn production. There is
a trend to continuous row cropping
on level land well suited to mechanization and to continuous meadow on
land not suited to the use of large
implements.
2. Availability of low cost nitrogen fertilizer has had its greatest impact on non-erosive land acres. Roll-