Farm

The sales of food crops grown under protection in the United States more than doubled in the last decade as U.S. horticultural operations are becoming more diverse and taking advantage of newly emerging agricultural trends, according to results of the 2009 Census of Horticultural Specialties released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Milk production in Illinois during October totaled 153 million pounds, 4 million pounds below October 2009. November production decreased 1 million pounds from last year to 152 million pounds.
The number of milk cows on farms averaged 98,000 head for both months, down 3,000 head from last year.
Milk per cow averaged 1,560 pounds for October, up 10 from October 2009. November milk per cow was 1,550 pounds, up 40 from last year.

Scherrie Giamanco, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency state executive director, reminds producers who want to obtain a Market Assistance Loan before the end of the year should contact their local Farm Service Agency office as soon as possible.
Farm Service Agency offices need time to process the loans and prepare the loan documents. Market Assistance Loans are marketing tools available to producers to allow for more orderly marketing of commodities throughout the year.

 AgriCharts, the agricultural division of Barchart.com Inc., which provides market data, agribusiness website hosting and technology solutions to the agricultural industry, today announced that farmdoc, a University of Illinois Extension project started in 1999, has added market data, news and weather provided by AgriCharts to its website (www.farmdoc.illinois.edu).