Purdue News

March 26, 1999 Indiana holds its own in '98 national ag rankings WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- A lack of size doesn't necessarily mean a lack of strength for Indiana's agricultural producers. Despite being one of the nation's smallest states, ranking 38th in size and boasting 2 percent of the nation's population, Indiana earned top ten national rankings in nearly 20 agricultural production areas in 1998. The state also ranked ninth nationally in 1998 for the total value of principal crops at $3.28 billion, which is a 14 percent decline from 1997's $3.82 billion total value, according to the Indiana Agricultural Statistics Service. Indiana was fourth in the nation in soybean production last year, growing 8.5 percent of the nation's total soybeans. And the state ranked fifth in production of corn for grain, growing 7.8 percent of the total crop. Hoosier farmers produced a record-breaking 235.2 million bushels of soybeans, according to the Statistics Service, which is based at Purdue University. Even though average soybean yields were down to 42 bushels per acre in 1998, compared to 43.5 bushel in 1997, the harvesting of 300,000 more acres allowed producers to increase total production by 2 percent. Indiana also produced more than 760 million bushels of corn for grain, an 8 percent increase from 1997. Although 200,000 fewer acres were harvested than in 1997, the average yield was 137 bushels per acre -- 15 bushels above the '97 average. Some other areas in which the state ranks in the top ten: Ducks. The Hoosier state is the top producer in the United States, with 1.2 million ducks in inventory. Popcorn. In an average year, the state ranks No. 1, raising a quarter of the U.S. total. Unfavorable weather the past two years reduced the number of acres planted, but yield per acre was up from 2,800 pounds in 1997 to 3,300 pounds in 1998. National rankings are not available, because they are compiled every five years. Turkeys. Production ranked seventh in '98, with 4.8 percent of the U.S. total. Chickens and layers. The state's total chicken inventory and layer inventory both rank fifth. Indiana provided 6.9 percent of both chickens and layers nationwide last year. Eggs. Hoosier egg production accounts for 7.3 percent of the U.S. total, placing Indiana in the No. 5 spot. Indiana chickens provide 5.8 billion eggs per year, or about 985 eggs per state resident or 22 per U.S. resident. Hogs. Marketing more than 7 million hogs each year, Indiana ranks fifth in total hog inventory, with 6.5 percent of the U.S. total. The pig crop ranks sixth, with nearly 6.7 million hogs produced. Vegetable and fruit production also are important to the Indiana agricultural industry. The state ranks third in raising tomatoes for processing, sixth in snap beans for processing, and eighth in cucumbers for processing. Indiana melon growers rank sixth in watermelon production, growing 5 percent of the nation's total, and fourth in cantaloupe production, raising 2.8 percent of that crop. Despite an 11 percent decline in blueberry production from 1997, Indiana's 3.2 million pounds of blueberries were enough to rank the state seventh nationally. The state maintained fourth place in peppermint production, producing 1.1 million pounds of oil from 23,000 acres. Last year's production was up 5 percent from 1997, with an average yield increase of six pounds of peppermint oil per acre, to 48 pounds. Spearmint production ranked fifth in the nation, unchanged from last year despite an 18 percent increase from 1997, with 2,500 acres yielding 110,000 pounds of spearmint oil. Hoosier producers raise 11.3 percent of the nation's peppermint and 3.7 percent of its spearmint. Tobacco is another top crop in Indiana: The state ranks ninth in its production. Last year's production of 17 million pounds was down 9 percent from the previous year. 1998 yields averaged 2,000 pounds per acre, down 100 pounds from 1997. As for the people who grow the crops, the average Indiana farmer is 52.8 years old. More than 80 percent of Hoosier farmers live on the farm they operate, and more than 53 percent do not consider farming their principal occupation. According to the 1997 Census of Agriculture, full-time farms in Indiana decreased 14 percent from 1992 to 1997. More than 15.5 million of Indiana's 23.2 million acres are in farmland, ranking it 20th in farm acreage among states, although farm acreage declined 3 percent statewide from 1992 to 1997, according to the 1997 Census of Agriculture. Indiana ranks 12th in number of farms, with 66,000 farms averaging 261 acres. Eighty-five percent of the state's farming operations are individually owned, 9 percent are partnerships, and 6 percent are incorporated. More information on Indiana's agricultural statistics can be found on the Indiana Agricultural Statistics Service's Web page. Source: Ralph Gann, state statistician, (765) 494-8371; nass-in@nass.usda.gov Writer: Jane Houin, (765) 494-2722; news_students@aes.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page