Alfalfa Crop Expanding
WASHINGTON - Oct 10/14 - SNS -- Production of alfalfa and alfalfa mixture dry hay for 2014 is forecast at 64.5 million tons, up 1% from the August forecast and up 12% from 2013, according to the USDA's latest crop report.
Based on October 1 conditions, yield is expected to average 3.55 tons per acre, up 0.05 ton from August and up 0.31 ton from last year. If realized, yield would be the highest on record.
Harvested area is forecast at 18.2 million acres, unchanged from August, but up 2% from 2013. Arizona, Nebraska and Utah are expecting record high yields in 2014.
With the exception of the continuing drought in the far western United States, much of the growing season has been characterized by good moisture and cooler than average temperatures. This resulted in favorable conditions for most of the Nation's alfalfa hay crop.
Alfalfa and Alfalfa Mixtures for Hay Area Harvested, Yield, and Production - States and
United States: 2013 and Forecasted October 1, 2014
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: Area harvested : Yield per acre : Production
State :-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
: 2013 : 2014 : 2013 : 2014 : 2013 : 2014
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: --- 1,000 acres --- ------ tons ----- ---- 1,000 tons ---
:
Arizona ........: 250 270 8.10 9.00 2,025 2,430
California .....: 900 930 6.80 7.10 6,120 6,603
Colorado .......: 650 750 2.90 3.90 1,885 2,925
Idaho ..........: 1,120 1,080 3.80 4.30 4,256 4,644
Illinois .......: 340 320 3.60 4.10 1,224 1,312
Indiana ........: 280 240 3.70 4.10 1,036 984
Iowa ...........: 730 730 3.30 3.40 2,409 2,482
Kansas .........: 550 550 3.50 3.60 1,925 1,980
Kentucky .......: 200 180 3.30 3.30 660 594
Michigan .......: 610 640 3.10 3.30 1,891 2,112
:
Minnesota ......: 950 1,000 2.60 3.20 2,470 3,200
Missouri .......: 350 320 2.70 3.20 945 1,024
Montana ........: 1,800 1,850 2.20 2.10 3,960 3,885
Nebraska .......: 700 720 3.45 4.20 2,415 3,024
Nevada .........: 210 250 4.50 3.80 945 950
New Mexico .....: 145 220 5.40 5.20 783 1,144
New York .......: 350 320 2.20 2.50 770 800
North Dakota ...: 1,620 1,540 2.00 2.10 3,240 3,234
Ohio ...........: 330 330 3.50 3.40 1,155 1,122
Oklahoma .......: 230 310 2.70 3.10 621 961
:
Oregon .........: 400 390 4.60 4.50 1,840 1,755
Pennsylvania ...: 340 340 2.90 2.90 986 986
South Dakota ...: 1,800 1,820 2.10 2.50 3,780 4,550
Texas ..........: 140 140 4.50 4.80 630 672
Utah ...........: 550 550 4.20 4.70 2,310 2,585
Virginia .......: 90 75 3.60 3.70 324 278
Washington .....: 410 470 5.30 5.00 2,173 2,350
Wisconsin ......: 1,100 1,150 2.60 3.30 2,860 3,795
Wyoming ........: 450 540 3.20 3.10 1,440 1,674
:
Other States 1/ : 168 165 2.99 2.84 503 469
:
United States ..: 17,763 18,190 3.24 3.55 57,581 64,524
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1/ Other States include Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and West Virginia.
Individual State level estimates will be published in the "Crop Production 2014 Summary."
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