Agricultural Statistics 2012

NOTE: NO FURTHER DISCOUNT FOR THIS PRINT PRODUCT-- OVERSTOCK SALE -- Significantly reduced list price

Agricultural Statistics is published each year to meet the diverse need for a reliable reference book

on agricultural production, supplies, consumption, facilities, costs, and returns. Its tables of annual

data cover a wide variety of facts in forms suited to most common use.

The historical series in this volume have been generally limited to data beginning with 2001 or

later.

Statistics presented in many of the tables represent actual counts of the items covered. Most of

the statistics relating to foreign trade and to Government programs, such as numbers and amounts

of loans made to farmers, and amounts of loans made by the Commodity Credit Corporation, etc.,

are data of this type. A large number of other tables, however, contain data that are estimates made

by the Department of Agriculture.

The estimates for crops, livestock, and poultry made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture are

prepared mainly to give timely current State and national totals and averages. They are based on

data obtained by sample surveys of farmers and of people who do business with farmers. The survey

data are supplemented by information from the Censuses of Agriculture taken every five years and

check data from various sources. Being estimates, they are subject to revision as more data become

available from commercial or Government sources. Unless otherwise indicated, the totals for the

United States shown in the various tables on area, production, numbers, price, value, supplies, and

disposition are based on official Department estimates. They exclude States for which no official estimates are compiled.

STATISTICS OF GRAIN AND FEED

This chapter contains tables for wheat, rye, rice, corn, oats, barley, sorghum grain, and feedstuffs.

Estimates are given of area, production, disposition, supply and disappearance, prices, value of production, stocks, foreign production and trade, price-support operations, animal units fed, and feed consumed by livestock and poultry.

STATISTICS OF COTTON, TOBACCO, SUGAR CROPS, AND HONEY

In addition to tables on cotton, tobacco, sugar, and honey, this chapter includes tables on fibers

other than cotton and syrups. Cottonseed data, however, are in the following chapter on oilseeds,

fats, and oils.

STATISTICS OF VEGETABLES AND MELONS

This chapter contains statistics on potatoes, sweet potatoes, and commercial vegetables and melons.

For potatoes and sweet potatoes, the estimates of area, production, value, and farm disposition pertain

to the total crop and include quantities produced both for sale and for use on farms where grown.

Potato statistics are shown on a within-year seasonal grouping of winter, spring, summer, and fall

crops, by States. Some States have production in more than one seasonal group.

For processing vegetables, the estimates of area, production, and value for each of 8 crops relate

to production used by commercial canners, freezers, and other processors, except dehydrators. These

estimates include raw products grown by processors themselves and those grown under contract or

purchased on the open market. This production and the actual area harvested are not duplicated in

the fresh market estimates for the same commodities. The production of those vegetables used for

processing for which regular processing estimates are not made is included in the fresh market estimates.

The processed segment of production for asparagus, broccoli, and cauliflower, combined with

fresh market production during the year, is published at the end of the season, separately.

In 2000, estimates were added for collard greens, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, okra, chili peppers,

pumpkins, radishes, and squash. In 2002, estimates for fresh market lima beans, beets for canning,

Brussels sprouts, cabbage for kraut, eggplant, escarole/endive, collard greens, kale, mustard greens,

turnip greens, okra, and radishes were discontinued. Additionally, States were removed from the program

for certain commodities. For details on the 2002 program changes see the following website:

http: /www.usda.gov/nass/events/programchg/vegprogchgs.htm.

STATISTICS OF FRUITS, TREE NUTS, AND HORTICULTURAL SPECIALTIES

For most fruits, production is estimated at two levels--total and utilized. Total production is the

quantity of fruit harvested plus quantities which would have been acceptable for fresh market or processing but were not harvested or utilized because of economic and other reasons. Utilized production is the amount sold plus the quantities used on farms where grown and quantities held in storage. The difference between total and utilized production is the quantity of marketable fruit not harvested and fruit harvested but not sold or utilized because of economic and other reasons. Production relates to the crop produced on all farms, except for apples and strawberries. In accordance with Congressional enactment, the Department's estimates of apple production since 1938 have related only to

commercial production. The estimates for strawberries cover production on area grown primarily for sale. Statistics on utilization of fruit by commercial processors refer to first utilization, not necessarily final utilization. For example, frozen fruit includes fruit which may later be used for preserves.

The price shown for each crop is a marketing year average price for all methods of sales. Prices for most fresh fruit are the average prices producers received at the point of first sale, commonly referred to as the ''average price as sold.'' Since the point of first sale is not the same for all producers, prices for the various methods of sale are weighted by the proportionate quantity sold. For example, if in a given State part of the fruit crop is sold f.o.b. packed by growers, part sold as bulk fruit at the packinghouse door, and some sold retail at roadside stands, the fresh fruit average price as sold is a weighted average of the average price for each method of sale.

The annual estimates are checked and adjusted at the end of each marketing season on the basis of shipment and processing records from transportation agencies, processors, cooperative marketing associations, and other industry organizations. The estimates are reviewed (and revised if necessary) at 5-year intervals, when the Census of Agriculture data become available. The Department's available statistics are limited to the major tree fruits and nuts and to grapes, cranberries, and strawberries,

and exclude some States where census data indicate production is of only minor importance.

STATISTICS OF HAY, SEEDS, AND MINOR FIELD CROPS

This chapter deals with hay, pasture, seeds, and various minor field crops.

STATISTICS OF CATTLE, HOGS, AND SHEEP

This chapter contains information about most kinds of farm livestock and livestock products, with

the exception of dairy and poultry. The information relates to inventories, production, disposition,

prices, and income for farm animals, and to livestock slaughter, meat production, and market statistics

for meat animals.

DAIRY AND POULTRY STATISTICS

Dairy statistics in this chapter include series relating to many phases of production, movement,

prices, stocks, and consumption of milk and its products. Two series of number of milk cows on

farms are included in this publication. One series is an inventory number of a specific classification

estimated as one of the major groups making up the total cattle population on January 1. The other

series identified as ''milk cows'' is an annual average number of milk cows during the year (excluding

any not yet fresh) and is used in estimating milk production.

In comparing the several series of milk prices, it is important to note that prices received by farmers

for all whole milk sold are for milk or milkfat content as actually sold, while certain prices paid

by dealers for milk for fluid purposes or for specified manufacturing purposes may be quoted on

a 3.5 percent butterfat basis, or for some types of manufacturing milk on the test of the milk used

for that particular purpose.

Poultry and poultry products statistics include inventory numbers of chickens by classes; the production,

disposition, cash receipts, and gross income from chickens and eggs; poultry and egg receipts

at principal