UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BUREAU 0? AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 
WASHINGTON, D, C. May 1947 
FAHi PRODUCTION, FARd DISPOSITION, AND VALUE OF PRINCIPAL CROPS 1/ 
1945-46 
This it one in a series of annual reports relating to farm disposition of crops, live* 
stock, and livestock products* This report includes estimates of grains, hay, seeds, potatoes, 
fruits and nuts, and some other commodities* Estimates for cotton and cottonseed were published 
with the April 23 cotton report; those for tobacco, sugar beets and sugaroane for sugar are 
published in the General Crop Report released on May 9. The reports on chickens and eggs and 
turkeys were published in March, milk, and meat animals in April* 
The production estimates for 1945 and 1946 shown in this report are the same as published 
in the December 1946 Annual Summary of Crop Production, except for citrus fruits* Estimates of 
farm disposition relate to portions of the crop used or to be used for the designated purposes 
and do not include purchases by farmers from others for such purposes* Portions of crops shown 
as fed to livestock represent quantities fed on the farms that produced the crop in the given 
year and do not represent total quantities of crops ultimately used for livestock feeding* 
Farmers feed considerable quantities of certain crops on the farms where the crop is grown and 
they report their sales, actual or expected, regardless of the final use that may be made of the 
guantities sold* For the principal feed crops, the grain used for feed and seed is a residual 
("production less household use and sales) and does not include grain purchased for such purposes* 
Some products shown as "sold" from farms may later be used for feed or seed on other farms in 
the same State or other States* 
For some crops such as wheat, rye and peanuts, total seed requirements are shown as well 
as the amount of such seed which is home grown; i.e., used on farms where actually produced* 
The difference between total seed requirements and the amount used for seed on farms where grown 
is included in "sales'* made by other farmers, in the same State or other States* 
The season average prices for 1945 crops are, in most cases, the estimated aid-month 
prices (published currently in "Agricultural Frices") weighted by the estimated quantities sold 
in each month of the crop marketing season* The marketing season is shown below the tables 
for each crop* Prices for the 1946 crops are based on mid-aonth prices for the months from the 
beginning of the crop marketing season through March 1947* Season average prices for popcorn, 
brooaoom, sugarcane for sirup, maple products, hops, many of the fruit and nut crops and most 
of the grass and cover crop seeds, are based primarily on special surveys* For some crops, such 
as sugarcane sirup (except Louisiana), sorghum sirup and velvetbeans, prices are season average 
prices as reported December 1 of each year* 
The value of sales and value of home consumption for each crop represents the designated 
quantity used for each purpose multiplied by the season average price per unit of measure* 
In like manner, the value of production is obtained by applying the season average price of 
the portion sold to total production, or production having value, as the case may be* These 
value estimates should not be confused with cash income which relates to the calendar year, 
irrespective of the year of production* The 1945 value estimates for wheat and corn do not in* 
elude an allowance for the bonus of 30 cents per bushel for quantities delivered under the 
certificate plan announced by the Secretary* This plan became effective on April 22, 1946 and 
officially ended May 11, 1946 for corn and May 25, 1946 for wheat* 
The estimates of farm disposition of crops are based upon data collected from many sources* 
Wherever possible sales have been checked by enumerations, such as reports of processors, or 
by records of handlings, such as shipments by truck, railroads, and steamships* Many items 
of farm use are estimated from returns for individual farms from special disposition inquiries 
relating to individual crops. In these inquiries farmers are asked to report the quantities of 
the crops produced and the quantities used on the farm for each purpose* For some crops, sales 
are estimated directly by asking farmers to report quantities produced and quantities sold and 
to be sold* 
1/ The estimates for grains, hay, peanuts, maple products, sugarcane and sorgo sirup were prepared 
5/" *J *?*$' J ' ** *•*«*■• Anna P. Kelly, H. F. Gurtr, H. K. Walker, C. G. Carpenter, G. Cf. 
n l v V * Kuxelka » J » A « Hicks, J* F. Marsh, and J. C. Scholl, under the general direction of 
C. E. Burkhead, Head, Division of Field Crop Statistics; potatoes, fruits and nute by Irvin Holmes, 
G. B. Strong, C. 0. Parker, C. D. Palmer, E. 0. Schlotshauer, and P. F. Kiesler under the general 
direction of Reginald Hoyston, Head, Division of Fruit and Vegetable Statistics. Season average 
?v °* 8 W * rd P^** * ^ & « D « fc*rwU. D. D. Pittoan, R. S* Johnson, and Marjorie Miller, under 
# ♦JT 8 ?' d i rectioa of *• *• S-bauber, Head, Division of Agricultural Price Statistics. Most 
or the basic data were gathered by the Agricultural Statisticians in Charge of field offices. 
