Census of Culture

CULTURE, CENSUS OF) .

Statistics of Agriculture in the U.S.

Theaverages (1929 38) of the annual estimates of the area and production of some of the principal crops in the U.S. are presented as follows: The crop areas seeded and harvested in the United States vary considerably from year to year. The area of wheat harvested is in many years considerably less, than the area seeded because of heavy winter freezes, droughts, and diseases. The acreage losses from the seedings of the other crops are as a rule small. The estimates given above represent the areas harvested. The 10-year averages are pre sented as a better indication of areas and yields than the estimates of any one year which may be affected significantly by droughts or other conditions causing considerable changes in either the area har vested or the outturn of the crop.

In recent years the Department of Agriculture has extended its estimating service to include intentions to plant crops. The data are collected in advance of seeding so that each individual farmer may have some information as to what farmers generally are planning to do for the forthcoming season. These data are useful in determining the marketing policies of both private and co-operative distributors. They are used by the Federal Government also in determining pro duction and marketing policies. Averages of the annual estimates for the past io years (1929-38) of the numbers of the most important species of livestock on farms in the U.S. are: Horses and mules, 17, Dairy cattle, 24,839,000; All other cattle, 41,411,000; Sheep, 46,697,000 ; Hogs, 51,846,000 ; Chickens, 428,0 J4,000.

The numbers of animals in the U.S. vary considerably from year to year and in cycles of years. The production of hogs in the U.S. is such an important factor in the agricultural economy of the country that an elaborate statistical service has been developed for this indus try. In addition to estimating the number on farms as of January 1, the Department of Agriculture estimates in June and December of each year the number of pigs farrowed and the number of sows bred or to be bred. These estimates of breeding and farrowing are designed to provide a basis for estimating the number of hogs likely to be marketed and the pork production in the season ahead. Reports from slaughter establishments provide a basis for estimating the actual production of pork. The dairy and beef-producing industries of the U.S. are likewise important, but the changes in the numbers of cattle on farms are less variable from year to year and have longer produc tion cycles which can be anticipated to a considerable extent from supplies of feedstuffs and the relation between prices of feedstuffs and of the animal products.

Estimates of income have been developed in recent years as measures of the buying power of farmers on the one hand, and on the other hand, as indications of how economic conditions generally affect farm ers. Also, the relative importance of the several agricultural enter prises of the country is best indicated by the estimates of income re ceived from these enterprises.

The average income received from principal farm products in the last five years (1934-38) follows, in million dollars:—Dairy products, 1,362 ; Cattle and calves, 1,067 ; Cotton, 8o6 ; Hogs, 791 ; Chickens and eggs, 686 ; Wheat, 435 ; Tobacco, 267 ; Sheep, lambs, and wool, ; Corn (maize), 215 ; Potatoes, The importance of corn (or maize) and other feedstuffs is, of course, not indicated by estimates of income received directly from those crops. The production of such crops comes to market mostly as livestock products. Consequently, the variations in prices of feed stuffs have little significance in the income of the country. They are an indication of the relation of supplies of feedstuffs to the demand for them and affect costs of production as between the farmer who raises the feedstuffs to sell and the farmer who buys them for feeding.

The effects of the great depression upon the agricultural economy are reflected in the annual estimates of cash income from the market ings of agricultural products. Annual estimates' for the years 1928-38 follow, in million dollars: 1928, 'I,089; 1929, 11,221 ; .1930, 8,941 6,254; 4,606 ; 5,248; 6,138; 6,805; 8,012; 1937, 8,621 ; The receipts from the sale of farm products are estimated currently for each month, on the basis of prices reported as received by farm ers and estimates of marketings by States as well as for the country as a whole. The expenditures for production annually are also being estimated to provide a basis for determining the annual net returns to agriculture. (R. H. R.; O. C. S.) 'These estimates do not include benefit and adjustment payments by the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, nor the value of products consumed on the farm where produced.