Section 25 Agriculture-Production and Related Subjects This section presents statistics concerning farm output and productivity, farı imports and exports, and data relative to specific crops, livestock, dairy products, and poultry. The principal sources of these data are the reports of the decennial and quinquennial Censuses of Agriculture conducted by the Bureau of the Census and three annual reports issued by the Agricultural Marketing Service of the Department of Agriculture entitled Crop Production, Crop Values, and Agricultural Statistics. Other important sources of these data published by the Agricultural Marketing Service include Production of Manufactured Dairy Products; Livestock and Poultry on Farms, January 1; Other Livestock Reports; The National Food Situation; Cotton and Cottonseed Production; and The Wheat Situation. Data sources concerned with agricultural exports and imports include Foreign Agricultural Trade published by the Foreign Agricultural Service of the Department of Agriculture and Foreign Commerce and Navigation of the United States which was issued annually through 1946 by the Bureau of the Census. Statistics on other aspects of agriculture may be found in section 24, AgricultureGeneral Statistics. Crop reporting.—Annual agricultural statistics of a wide variety have been issued currently by the Department of Agriculture for 97 years—the first being as of May 1, 1863. The 41 field offices design the samples and collect data from voluntary reporters. State estimates and other information are sent to the Crop Reporting Board of the Agricultural Marketing Service, where, after review, reports are issued containing State, regional, and United States data. Statistics compiled by the Agricultural Marketing Service on crops, livestock and livestock products, agricultural prices, farm employment, and other related subjects are based mainly on data obtained through mail questionnaires. The basic information is obtained from nearly three-fourths of a million reporters, mostly farmers, who report for their own and nearby farms on some 80 crops and scores of other items pertaining to agricultural production and farm family living. The most extensive of the current survey data are gathered by the Agricultural Marketing Service from questionnaires handled in cooperation with the Post Office Department through its rural mail carriers. These surveys obtain livestock data in June and December and crop acreage data in October. In the data prepared by the Agricultural Marketing Service, estimates of crop acreage and production for the census years are set up currently from available information. Later, if necessary, these data are revised to a level based largely on the Census enumerations. The estimates for intercensal years are based on sample data obtained each year from individual reporters. This information is supplemented by other data, such as State assessors' enumerations of agricultural information, crop meter frontage measurements, reports of carlot shipments, warehouse receipts, local surveys, personal observations by field statisticians as well as reports from other sources having a knowledge of farming, agricultural production, and processing. Cotton acreage and production are also based on sample data and, in large measure, on ginning information gathered by the Bureau of the Census. Livestock. For each decade from 1840 through 1900, the Census of Agriculture was taken as of June 1. The six decennial censuses since then have been taken as of April 15, 1910; January 1, 1920; April 1, 1930, 1940, and 1950; and October 1, 1959. 540262°-60-42 (Figures from the 1959 Census of Agriculture were not available when material for this section was organized and sent to the printer.) The 1925, 1935, and 1945 quinquennial Censuses of Agriculture were taken as of January 1. The 1954 Census of Agriculture was taken in the fall of that year. Comparison of inventory numbers of livestock from census to census is seriously affected by changes in the date of enumeration. From January to April, there are material changes in numbers on hand in most parts of the country, due to births, marketings, farm slaughter, etc. In an effort to obtain as much comparability as possible, the censuses taken in April either excluded recently born animals from the enumeration or provided for their enumeration in a separate age group. Volume II of U.S. Census of Agriculture: 1950 shows a complete history of the enumeration of livestock and presents a discussion of the comparability from census to census. For most kinds of domestic livestock, there are comparatively short, cyclic fluctuations in numbers, even though the trend over a long period of time may be definitely in one direction. Annual inventory numbers of livestock on farms, together with estimates of livestock, dairy, and poultry production prepared by the Department of Agriculture, are based on information furnished by individual farmers, supplemented by State assessors' data in a number of States, and by such records as brand inspections, rail and truck shipments, and slaughter. The level for these inventories is based in large part on interpretations of Census enumerations for years when such data are available. Alaska and Hawaii.-For a general statement concerning the treatment of data for Alaska and Hawaii, see preface. "Conterminous area" refers to the United States excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and outlying areas. Historical statistics.-Tabular headnotes (as "See also Historical Statistics, Colonial Times to 1957, series K 190-194") provide cross-references, where applicable, to Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1957. See preface. Fig. XXXVII. VALUE OF AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS UNDER AND OUTSIDE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS: 1950 TO 1959 Source: Chart prepared by Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. Data from Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service. No. 868. INDEXES OF VOLUME OF FARM MARKETINGS AND HOME CONSUMPTION: 1930 To 1959 1 Includes peanuts; excludes cottonseed. ? Includes dry edible beans, dry field peas, mung beans, potatoes, and sweetpotatoes. Excludes peanuts. Source: Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service; annual report, Agricultural Statistics, and records. No. 869. FARM OUTPUT INDEXES AND ACREAGE OF 59 CROPS: 1930 to 1959 [Excludes Alaska and Hawaii. See also Historical Statistics, Colonial Times to 1957, series K 190-194 and ITEM FARM OUTPUT AND GROSS PRODUC- K 254-264] 1 Measures annual volume of farm production available for eventual human use. 2 Measures gross production of meat animals, dairy products, poultry and eggs, and some miscellaneous livestock products not shown separately, excluding horses and mules. Livestock production is made up of three components: Constant-dollar value of pasture consumed, other feed consumed, and product-added in converting feed and pasture into livestock and products for human use. In combining production of livestock and crops into total farm output, value of feed other than pasture consumed and hatching eggs are excluded to avoid double counting of feed crops in both livestock and crop production and to avoid double counting of hatching eggs as part of poultry meat production as well as egg production. * Total constant dollar value of all crop production regardless of its final disposition. Includes production of hay seeds, pasture seeds, and cover-crop seeds and some miscellaneous crop production not shown. Hay and concentrates only. Constant dollar value fed to horses and mules is subtracted when combining Ivestock and crops into total farm output. Source: Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service; annual report, Agricultural Statistics. No. 870. MAN-HOURS REQUIRED AND INDEX OF FARM LABOR PRODUCTIVITY: 1930 To 1959 [Man-hours in millions; index, 1947-49-100. Excludes Alaska and Hawaii. nial Times to 1957, series W 49-50] See also Historical Statistics, Colo 1 Man-equivalent hours, that is, time used by average adult males in performing farm operations. Index of farm output (production available for human use) divided by index of man-hours worked. Source: Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service; annual reports, Changes in Farm Production and Efficiency and Agricultural Statistics. No. 871. INDEX OF SUPPLY AND UTILIZATION OF FARM FOOD COMMODITIES: 1930 TO 1959 [Percent of total supply and utilization in each year. Excludes Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico except for exports and imports. Covers farm commodities normally used for food in the United States (conterminous area), including their nonfood use. See also Historical Statistics, Colonial Times to 1957, series K 104-115] 1 Includes farm and commercial stocks and holdings under price support and domestic supply programs. Minus sign (-) means an addition to stocks. Includes civilian feeding in areas occupied by our Armed Forces. Not available. Includes seed, feed, industrial alcohol, alcoholic beverages, etc. Excludes deliveries by the Department of Agriculture. • Stocks held for export. Minus sign means a withdrawal from stocks. 7 Less than 0.05 percent. 8 Shipments out of this country. • Represents net quantities withdrawn from domestic commercial channels. Source: Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service; The National Food Situation. No. 872. LAND AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTIVITY INDEXES: 1930 TO 1959 [1947-49-100. Excludes Alaska and Hawaii. See also Historical Statistics, Colonial Times to 1957, series K 102-103] 1 Based on sum of the acreage from which one or more crops were harvested plus acreages of crop failure and summer fallow. Excludes horses and mules. Source: Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service; annual report, Agricultural Statistics. No. 873. AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS AND IMPORTS-VALUE: 1932 to 1959 [In millions of dollars. For years ending June 30. Includes Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Excludes forest products and distilled liquors. Crude rubber and similar gums (now mainly plantation products) are included in agricultural products] 1 Beginning Jan. 1, 1942, includes food exported for relief or charity; beginning Jan. 1, 1947, also includes exports under Army Civilian Supply Program. 2 Based on total exports of domestic merchandise. Imports for consumption beginning 1934; general imports prior thereto. 4 Supplementary agricultural imports consist of all imports similar to agricultural commodities produced ccmmercially in the United States, together with all other agricultural imports interchangeable to any significant extent with such United States commodities. Complementary agricultural imports comprise all others, about 97 percent of which consist of rubber, coffee, raw silk, cacao beans, wool for carpets, bananas, tea, and spices. Source: Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, from official records of Bureau of the Census and U. S. Tariff Commission. Published in annual report, Agricultural Statistics. No. 874. AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS EXPORTED-INDEXES OF QUANTITY: 1945 TO 1959 [Calender years 1952-54-100. For years ending June 30. Includes Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico] 1 Based on 261 classifications including commodity breakdown of food exported for relief or charity. 2 Not available. Source: Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, compiled from official records of Bureau of the Census. Published currently in Foreign Agric ltural Trade. |