FARM PRODUCTION, FARM DISPOSITION AMD VALUE 
OF FIELD AHD SEED CROPS, 1951 and 1952 
May 1953 
Estimated farm disposition of gra.in.Ss, hay,, certain seeds,, potatoes and a few 
other commodities are presented in this report, which is one of a series dealing 
with farm disposition of major farm products. Total estimated production of each 
commodity is that published in the December 1952 Annual Summary of Crop Production,, 
Estimated sales from 195^ and 1952 crops and portions of production used or to be 
used for designated purposes on farms where grown are shown in this report „ 
Quantities shown as fed to livestock and poultry represent that portion of 
the crop fed only on the farms that produced it; they are not the quantities ulti- 
mately used for livestock feeding,, Grain purchased for feed and seed does not 
entar into these feed grain estimates. Some of the products shown as "sold" from 
farms are used for feed and seed on other farms in the same or other States e For 
corn, the quantity sold pertains only to grain corn; the quantity fed includes 
not only the grain corn fed s but also that portion of all corn production repre- 
senting the equivalent of corn used as silage and forage, 
Quantities of principal feed crops sold and used in farm households,, if any, 
are estimated directly and the residual — production less household use and sales- 
is shown as used for feed and seed e For certain commodities, of which there is 
virtually no farm use, the entire production is shown as sales e Sales of some 
commodities are estimated directly from the analysis of surveys in which farmers 
report production and sales,, For others, special disposition inquiries are made 
in which farmers report their production of each commodity and the quantities 
used on their farms for each purpose* Whenever possible, sales have been checked 
by enumerations, such as reports of processors, or by records of handlings and 
shipments by rail, truck and boat. For certain crops total seed requirements 
are shown, and for some a further breakdown is made to show home grown seed* The 
difference between total seed and home grown seed would thus represent purchased 
seed, which is included in the quantity soldo 
Season average prices are, in most cases, the estimated mid-month prices 
received by farmers, weighted by estimated quantities sold in each month of the 
crop marketing season,, The marketing season is shown below the table for each 
crop. Season average prices for popcorn, broomcorn, sugarcane for sirup, maple 
products, hops, and most seeds are based primarily upon special survey data. For 
sugarcane sirup (except Louisiana) and sorghum sirup, the prices are those 
reported on December 1 of each year. Price estimating procedure makes allowance 
for loans unredeemed at the end of the crop season and for quantities bought by 
the Government under purchase agreements when such transactions are of signifi- 
cant volume ■ 
These season average prices for quantities sold are used also to evaluate 
total quantities produeedj, and quantities used on farms. Value of sales is thus 
the unit price applied to quantity sold during the marketing year. In like 
manner value of production and of home consumption are computed by applying the 
season average price to the quantity produced or used. These value estimates 
should not be confused with cash receipts which relate to the calendar year 
irrespective of the year of production. 
First in the series of farm disposition reports for 1951 and 1952 crops was 
the report for fruits and tree nuts published in January 1953» Estimates for 
cotton and cottonseed will appear in the Cotton Report of May 8; those for tobacco 
appear in the May 11, 1953 issue of Crop Production; estimates for sugar beets and 
sugarcane are scheduled for the June 10 issue of Crop Production,, A report cover- 
ing farm disposition of turkeys was issued in March; separate reports for chickens 
and eggs, for milk, and for meat animals appeared in April 1953* 
