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Animal Enterprises
Total farm income for all animal enterprises was $1.573 billion for 2005, down from $1.634 billion in 2004. Value added was $854.4 million. Total value of all animal enterprises to the Louisiana economy was $2.428 billion.
Fisheries and Wildlife Enterprises
Total farm value of all fish and wildlife enterprises was $456.0 million in 2005. Value added was $314.9 million. Total value of all fishery and wildlife enterprises to the Louisiana economy was $770.9 million.
Plant Enterprises
The total value of all plant enterprises was $2.656 billion in 2005. Value added was $3.885 billion. Total value of all crop enterprises to the Louisiana economy was $6.542 billion.
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Beef Cattle
In 2005 the beef cattle industry saw continued high prices. The strong market encouraged producers to increase herd size and others to get into or back into beef production. Cattle numbers decreased 7% in 2005 to 597,362 from 642,972 in 2004. The number of producers fell to 12,346, down from 12,446 in 2004. Cattle producers, however, suffered substantial losses in the coastal parishes as a result of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Cattle numbers from two coastal parishes (Lafourche and Cameron) reflect these preliminary losses, but numbers from all other coastal parishes do not yet reflect the devastation from these hurricanes. The repercussions of these catastrophic events will be felt in the beef industry of Louisiana for several years.
Gross farm income from beef cattle was $366.2 million in 2005, essentially flat from 2004. Cattle prices remained relatively robust throughout the year, offsetting the decline in production.
The gross farm value of the steer sales in 2005 was $154.0 million, up $22 million from 2004. The value of the heifers sold in 2005 was $126.1 million, up $20 million from 2004.
The gross farm value of cow-calf pairs sold increased by $3.7 million over 2004, from $46.4 million to $50.1 million in 2005. Some Louisiana producers found a niche market of developing cow-calf pairs to fill the need for other producers.
The gross farm value of cull cows sold fell from $30.1 million in 2004 to $28.2 million in 2005. Cull bulls sold in 2005 for a gross farm value of $7.3 million, down from $8.4 million in 2004.
The total value of the sales of the beef cattle industry in 2005 was $406.4 million, up $40.8 million from $365.6 million in 2004; $40.3 million of this was value added.
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Dairy
Milk production was reported by 18 parishes in 2005. Three parishes in the southeastern part of the state and one parish in the northwestern part accounted for about 91% of the milk production, about 89% of the herds and 91% of the dairy cows. The number of dairy farms declined from 308 in 2004 to 268 in 2005. The number of milking cows decreased from 36,768 head in 2004 to 32,237 head in 2005. Total milk production decreased from 469.7 million pounds in 2004 to 436.6 million pounds in 2005. The on-farm value of milk decreased by $7.2 million in 2005 dropping from $77.4 million in 2004 to $70.2 million in 2005 because of reduced milk production (33.1 million pounds) and to a lesser extent because of the difference in price per hundredweight of $0.40 less for milk produced in 2005.
Value added contributed $113.3 million more. The value of cull cows, bred heifers, mature cows, breeding age bulls and calves was $14.1 million. The total value of milk and animal sales to Louisiana dairy producers was $84.4 million. The total economic contribution from dairying in Louisiana, including milk sales, animal sales and additional processing was $197.7 million.
The value of milk sales from dairy goats was $6,505 in 2005, up from $3,986 in 2004. Twenty-three producers with 207 milking does produced 29,567 pounds of goat milk.
The total on-farm value of the sale of milk from cows and goats and the sale of animals was $84.4 million in 2005.
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Horses
The horse industry is an important economic stimulus for Louisiana. Approximately 200,000 horses are owned by an estimated 60,000 people. The industry is composed of approximately 10% racing, 20% show or competition and 70% recreational horse owners.
The race horse industry is composed of 1,365 breeders who own 11,447 mares that produced 7,401 foals that were sold in 2005 for $59.2 million. These breeders own 1,345 stallions that were bred to 10,333 mares, generating income from stud fees of $25.8 million. The total income generated from race horse production was $85 million. An additional 2,337 race horse owners owned 12,169 race horses in training or on the track at a value of $146 million. The impact of race horse owners and breeders activities in 2005 was $232 million.
The show and competition horse industry (horse shows, barrel racing, cutting, roping, team penning, etc.) is composed of 2,505 breeders who own 7,999 mares which produced 5,245 foals that were sold for $20.9 million. These breeders own 873 stallions which bred 5551 mares that generated $8.3 million in income from stud fees. The total income generated from show and competition horse production was $29.2 million. Another 4,600 owners compete on their 13,262 horses valued at $66.3 million. The total 2005 impact of the show and competition horse industry was $95.5 million.
A large portion of the horse industry is recreational. The horse is used for comfort, exercise and enjoyment. Approximately 30% or 8,539 of the recreational horse owners bred 25,018 mares and sold 13,018 foals in 2005 for $19.5 million. These horsemen own 2,401 stallions that were bred to 8,177 mares generating income from stud fees of $4.1 million. The total income from production in the recreational horse industry was $23.6 million in 2005. Another 23,814 recreational horse owners have 57,615 horses valued at $86.4 million. The total impact of the recreational horse industry was $110 million.
A total of 176,854 horses valued at $436.7 million and owned by 47,779 horsemen are registered in Louisiana. An additional 24,000 grade and other equine valued at $72 million are owned by 13,000 people. The total value of horses and horse production is estimated at $485 million. The average horse owner spends about $4,000 per year on feed, tack, equipment, veterinary supplies and medicines. That translates to an estimated expenditure of $800 million on horses and a total economic impact of $1.3 billion.
In addition to the value of horses produced and maintained in Louisiana, the activities of the horse industry generate a tremendous cash flow for the state. The four racetracks employee 3,000 people and generate expenditures of approximately $1 billion per year. The show and competition industry conducts an estimated 500 activities per year and generates $20.5 million in expenditures. With the value of horses, expenditures on them and the activities in which they engage, the impact of the horse industry is estimated to be $2.1 billion per year. A recent study by the American Horse Council estimated the economic impact of the Louisiana horse industry to be $2.45 billion per year.
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Poultry
Broilers and Eggs
Poultry production continues to be the largest animal agricultural industry in Louisiana and is second only to forestry in total income production for all agricultural commodities. In 2005, 924 million pounds of broiler meat were produced in Louisiana. The gross farm value of these broilers was $656 million in 2005. There were 408 broiler producers. Commercial broilers are produced in 12 parishes: Bienville, Claiborne, Jackson, Lincoln, Livingston, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Sabine, Union, Vernon, Webster and Winn.
Breeder flock producers totaled 98 in 2005. Their flocks yielded 26.4 million dozen eggs with a gross farm value of $10.0 million. Also, 55 pullet producers propagated nearly 1.5 million pullets with a farm value of $2.6 million.
Commercial and small edible egg producers totaled 882 in 2005. Table egg production remained the same in 2005, at 13.3 million dozen eggs. The farm value for commercial egg production was $8.6 million in 2005.
The gross farm value for all poultry production in Louisiana was $679 million in 2005.
Ratites and Other Exotic Fowl
The sale of ratites and exotic fowl generated $500 in Louisiana in 2005. The decline in birds and values continued. Five emu were produced in 2005.
Quail and Pheasants
There were 40,255 birds produced in 2005. Quail and pheasants generated a gross farm value of $80,510.
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Rabbits
The production of rabbits for meat and exhibition involved 450 producers in 2005. Fryer producers numbered 225. This facet of the industry produced 122,959 pounds of meat. Louisiana rabbit producers generated $106,917 in gross income.
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Sheep and Goats
Fifty-seven parishes reported sheep or goat production in 2005. Sheep were produced by 478 producers and goats by 866 producers. Breeding-ewe numbers decreased slightly to 6,417, and breeding-doe numbers rose to 13,217.
Parishes reporting the largest number of breeding ewes in production were St. Landry (1,000), Vermilion (882), Acadia (800), Calcasieu (800), St. Martin (425), Lafayette (350), Allen (350), Beauregard (290), Iberia (250) and Evangeline (249).
Parishes reporting the largest number of breeding does in production were Calcasieu (1,000), Rapides (800), Beauregard (650), Richland (600), Livingston (575), Evangeline (554), Vernon (500), Webster (500), Ouachita (475), Tangipahoa (450), Concordia (405), East Baton Rouge (400), Natchitoches (400) and West Carroll (400).
Total number of lambs marketed (slaughter, feeder and club) was estimated at 6,401. Stocker sheep sold numbered 739. Cull sheep sold were estimated at 1,849. Wool production was estimated to be 37,829 pounds.
Total number of slaughter goats marketed was estimated at 8,730. Stocker goats numbered 3,692. Cull goats marketed numbered 3,027. Goats sold as club/show goats numbered 1,946.
Gross farm value for sheep was $1.1 million and for goats was estimated at $1.9 million, for a total of $3.0 million. Value added was nearly $0.3 million. Total value of sheep, wool and goats was estimated at $3.3 million.
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Swine
Louisiana pork producers numbered 429 in 2005 compared to 467 in 2004. St. Martin (50), Calcasieu (40), Rapides (40), Vermilion (39) and St. Landry (35) parishes reported the largest numbers. The number of sows reported in 2005 was 2,712 compared to 3,458 in 2004. Show pigs, totaling 3,402, sold for approximately $1 million, down slightly from 2004 when 3,735 show pigs sold for $1.2 million. Feeder pig sales of 17,194 head sold for $536,452 in 2005, slightly fewer head than sold in 2004. Slaughter hogs sales at 17,978 head were down from 2004. Total slaughter hog sales were $2.35 million. There were 2,462 head of cull animals (sows and boars) sold. The gross farm of sales of all classes of swine in 2005 was $4.3 million. Value added amounted to $1.0 million. Total value of pork was an estimated $5.3 million.
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Exotic Animals
Exotic animal producers had gross farm sales of $101,875 in 2005, down slightly from $104,050 in 2004.
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Aquaculture
Louisiana supports one of the most diverse aquaculture industries in the nation. Louisiana's aquaculture crops exhibited mixed results during 2005, though overall farm value increased by nearly 3% over 2004. Farmed crawfish production occupied almost 117,000 acres during the 2005 harvest season, down slightly from 118,250 the previous year. A total of 73.8 million pounds of crawfish were sold, with a value of $40.6 million, making farm-raised crawfish the state's most valuable aquaculture crop. Farmed alligator production continued to increase during 2005, exceeding $29.2 million in farm-gate value, up significantly from $18.4 million the previous year. Marketing problems continued to plague Louisiana's turtle producers during 2005. A total of 60 licensed producers reported aggregate sales of almost 10.4 million hatchlings, with a market value of almost $4.7 million, down considerably from 13,450,000 and $9,415,000, respectively, in 2004.
Oyster production continued to be an important component of the aquaculture industry in Louisiana, contributing $32.3 million in farm value. Minnow culture for bait purposes supplied $4.0 million in gross farm value to the aquaculture sector.
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Catfish
Farmed catfish production continued to decline during 2005. Acreage decreased by approximately 7%, to fewer than 6,000 acres. Nonetheless, 34 producers sold almost 28 million pounds of catfish valued at $19.4 million.
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Fisheries
The harvest of freshwater and marine fish and shellfish in Louisiana continued to be economically significant. Landings of the numerous species are recorded by two agencies. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) receives monthly reports from the initial buyers (processors, dealers, etc). Species, weight and dockside value of the landings are reported for all commercially harvested species.
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is responsible for estimating the landings of shrimp. This is done by local NMFS data collectors.
The freshwater fisheries and marine fisheries data reflect 2004. The one-year lag is necessary for accuracy. Real-time reports on fisheries landings are not available until four months after the fact, and final statistics are often six to seven months behind. Estimating landings for the second half of the year based on landings reports from the first half is inaccurate. This is the second year of this method of reporting fisheries landings data; therefore, data should not be used on a comparative basis with those of previous years.
One final caveat is that parish totals for fisheries landings will not equal the state total because of legal confidentiality requirements. When fewer than three sources in a parish report landings of a fisheries commodity in that parish, the number of landings cannot be publicly released without breaking confidentiality requirements.
Freshwater Fisheries
Freshwater finfish is comprised primarily of catfish, buffalo, gar, shad and freshwater drum and is typically less valuable on a per-pound basis than marine finfish. Total freshwater finfish landings declined in value by 6% from 2003 levels to $3.4 million on 10.4 million pounds sold.
Catfish, the mainstay of the more valuable of freshwater species, contributed to the decline, though price per pound for catfish remained relatively stable. Shad, a low-value bait species that typically landed in half the amount of catfish, also experienced a decline in landings. None of these shifts in finfish landings are beyond the range of ordinary. Except for gar, most species of freshwater finfish were underfished, and a minor change in demand can result in large upward and downward movement in landings annually.
Freshwater crawfish landings in 2004 were 8.2 million pounds with a gross farm value of $4.6 million. Most wild crawfish were caught in the Atchafalaya Basin, which serves as a spillway for floodwaters of the Mississippi River. Although wild crawfish compete in the marketplace with farm-raised crawfish, the wild product is preferred by many consumers because of its larger size. The volume of the wild crawfish harvest is almost completely constrained by the timing and duration of the annual floodwater event in the Atchafalaya Basin.
Marine Fisheries
Marine food finfish landings are varied and complex, with about 120 different species being landed. In 2004, the top 10 species landed by weight (in millions of pounds) were striped mullet (4.8), black drum (3.8), yellowfin tuna (3.1), red snapper (1.6), sheepshead (1.5), blacktip shark, king mackerel (1.0), vermilion snapper (0.9), swordfish (0.5) and greater amberjack (0.4).
By value, the top 10 finfish species (in millions of dollars) were yellowfin tuna ($10.2), red snapper ($3.9), striped mullet ($2.7), black drum ($2.2), vermilion snapper ($1.7), king mackerel ($1.2), swordfish ($1.1), bluefin tuna ($0.5), sheepshead ($0.4), and greater amberjack ($0.3). Total saltwater finfish landings decreased 2% in total value from last year to $226.0 million for 2004.
Landings of Menhaden, a low-value, but high-volume non-food finfish species, were 863 million pounds. Price received was 4 cents per pound for a gross farm value of $35 million in 2004. Menhaden oil and meal are sold on the world market, and the prices received for menhaden products is controlled by the world supply of oils and meals, particularly those produced by the fisheries for the anchovetta of the Pacific Coast of South America.
In 2004, about three-fifths of the oysters landed came from private aquaculture reefs and two-fifths from wild reefs. These figures fluctuate from year to year, with production from the two areas being roughly equal in 2002. Prices were essentially the same for oysters from the two sources. Gross value of oyster harvested was $32.3 million in 2004. Values used in these calculations were 7 pounds of shucked oyster meats per sack.
Blue crabs make up well over 99% of the Louisiana crab harvest, with stone crabs making up the remainder. Blue crab landings were 44.2 million pounds and gross value of harvested crabs was $29.6 million. Louisiana crab landings normally fluctuate in the 40- to 50-million pound range.
Shrimp landings were produced by six species - white shrimp, brown shrimp, seabobs, pink shrimp, rock shrimp and broken-neck shrimp. White shrimp provided 56% of the harvest by weight and 70% by value in 2004. Brown shrimp contributed another 41% of the total weight and 29% of the total value of the fishery. Prices received for white shrimp in 2004 averaged $1.29 per pound. Brown shrimp averaged $0.74 per pound. The overall average price for 2004 was $1.04, a slight decline from the previous year. Landings of 132 million pounds of shrimp had a gross value of $136.7 million in Louisiana last year. Because of massive shrimp imports, prices paid for domestic shrimp have declined steadily since 2000 and are projected to continue to do so.
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Fur
The 2004-2005 harvest of 60,736 fur animal pelts had a gross farm value of $0.6 million. This amount is represented totally by fur production and excludes any value associated with meat production, predominately from raccoon and nutria carcasses. Nutria accounted for 61% of the pelts sold in the state (37,105) with the remaining fur production from muskrat, raccoon, mink, opossum, river otter, red fox, grey fox, bobcat, beaver and coyote.
Nutria removal in the state associated with the coast-wide nutria control program (CNCP) accounted for a total of 297,535 animals being harvested. Of these, 260,430 nutria were removed for the $4 incentive payment only and not pelted; 37,105 nutria were pelted.
The number of nutria removed for the incentive payment is similar in number to that of 2004. The number of nutria pelted, however, was down considerably from the previous season (77,672 in 2003-2004). Nutria removals under CNCP, along with the gross dollar value of all other animals pelted and sold in Louisiana for the 2004-2005 trapping season, amounted to $1.8 million.
The average gross farm value of individual pelts, regardless of species, was $9.70 in 2004-2005. This represents the third straight year in which average fur prices for individual pelts increased. Pelt prices varied from lows of 35 cents for opossum to highs of $85 for river otters. For the 2004-2005 trapping season, the total value of furs in Louisiana was $0.7 million, down 21% from 2003-2004.
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Honey
Honey production for 2005 was down significantly from 2004, creating problems for the industry. The total production was 2.4 million pounds, nearly 0.5 million pounds fewer than 2004. Gross farm value of honey was $1.4 million, down 35% from the previous year.
Pollination services provided by honey bees remained one of Louisiana's greatest assets. Estimates of the value of these services to wildlife and agriculture, both commercial and homeowner, approached a staggering $400 million. Colony leasing for pollination services increased to help beekeepers cover the shortfall in honey revenues. Most leasing was to vegetable and small fruit operations.
The small hive beetle continued to expand its area of infestation in Louisiana. Improved management reduced losses from the mite infestations, although losses continued to occur. The USDA-ARS Bee Breeding and Physiology Lab continued its release of new strains of the Russian honey bee queens to assist with mite management and honey production. The African honey bee continued to press the border in the northwestern part of the state, and in 2005 the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry found Africanized bees in its traps there.
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Hunting Lease Enterprises
The value of recreational hunting to the state of Louisiana is seen in the income derived from hunting lease enterprises. The number of producers who leased land in the state during the 2004-2005 hunting season was 7,467. This figure includes 5,763 individuals who participated in upland game leasing (predominately for deer and turkey) and 1,704 individuals who participated in waterfowl leases. Acreage leased for each of these operations was 6,547,022 acres for upland game and 1,647,168 for waterfowl leases. Gross farm values for these leases amounted to $45,829,154 for upland game and $35,341,850 for waterfowl.
Average lease rates were $7 per acre for upland game leases, $15 per acre for coastal area waterfowl leases and $50 per acre for waterfowl leases in other areas of the state. Leasing rates varied greatly throughout the state from lows of $1 to highs of $30 per acre for upland game leases. In all hunting lease enterprises, rates depended on location, habitat quality and species. Value-added components raised the total economic impact of hunting leases in the state to $85.3 million in 2005, an increase of 6% over 2004.
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Cotton
Cotton acreage was higher for both irrigated and non-irrigated cotton in 2005. Yields on irrigated land, however, were lower than in 2004, but higher on non-irrigated land. In 2005, the 1,415 cotton producers grew 600,119 acres of cotton, down from 1,514 producers growing 491,299 acres in 2004. Acres of irrigated cotton numbered 255,263, with a yield of 980 pounds of lint per acre in 2005. Acreage was up from 194,866 acres in 2004, and yields were down from 991 pounds of lint in 2004. The 2005 non-irrigated acreage of 344,856 acres was up from 296,433 acres in 2004. The non-irrigated acreage yield of 844 pounds of lint was up from the 2004 yield of 787 pounds. Gross farm value of cotton sales was $243.6 million.
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Feed Grains
Feed grains were grown on 431,726 acres in 2005. Corn had the largest acreage (335,375), followed by grain sorghum (92,183 acres) and oats (4,168 acres). Gross farm value of all feed grains in Louisiana was $119.3 million in 2005.
Corn
Corn was grown on 1,525 farms, down from 1,642 farms in 2004. In 2005, 335,375 acres of corn were harvested, with the majority of the acreage in northeastern Louisiana. Acreage was down because of high fertilizer costs and a wet spring, which delayed planting. Yields of 132 bushels per acre were up from 129 bushels per acre in 2004. The southern and central portions of the state had reduced yield because of the lack of moisture during kernel fill. The northeastern portion of the state's yield was not as reduced, because a majority of the corn acreage is irrigated there.
Grain Sorghum
In 2005, grain sorghum was produced by fewer farmers (486) on more acres (92,183) than in 2004. The acreage planted and harvested in 2005, however, was lower than anticipated, because of the wet spring (which led to a late start in planting) and high fertilizer costs. Following the heavy rains early on, the season became very dry; however, since grain sorghum can handle dry weather, the yields fared well.
The average yield across the state was around 66 bushels per acre, but many regions of the state did much better. Some unevenness in the growth stage was evident in many fields because of the extreme drought and lack of moisture in certain areas of the fields.
Oats
Land planted to oats in 2005 declined to 4,168 acres from 5,180 acres harvested in 2004. Oat yields remained relatively high at 75 bushels per acre, in line with the 72 bushels per acre averaged over the past few years in Louisiana.
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Forestry
The projected Louisiana gross farm value of forest products decreased considerably in 2005 after a dramatic increase in 2004. The 2005 total sawlog harvest decreased by 343 million board feet (24%) to a cut of 1,270,600,423 board feet. The estimated pine sawtimber harvest decreased by 27% to a total statewide harvest of 1,107,916,041 board feet. The hardwood sawtimber harvest increased to 162,684,382 board feet (a 2.4% increase) in 2005. Pine chip-n-saw harvested in 2005 totaled 1,153,295 cords, a decrease of almost 25% from 2004 totals.
The estimated 2005 Louisiana pulpwood harvest was 5,531,028 cords, down 1,464,765 cords (23%) from 2004's harvest. Pine pulpwood harvest decreased 22%, from 5,291,690 cords in 2004 to 4,241,394 cords in 2005. Hardwood pulpwood harvest decreased by 414,469 cords (28%), from 1,704,103 cords in 2004 to 1,289,634 cords in 2005.
Stumpage prices for 2005 were slightly higher overall than they were in 2004, based on statewide annual averages. Pine sawtimber prices were 3% higher in 2005, averaging about $385 per million board feet for the year. Oak sawtimber prices were 5% higher on average around the state in 2005, at approximately $315 per million board feet for the year. Statewide average pine pulpwood prices increased by 15% in 2005, reversing a 13% decrease observed in 2004. Hardwood pulpwood prices increased dramatically in 2005 - an average of 26%. Chip-n-saw prices decreased 2% on average in Louisiana in 2005.
With wood-using industries and commercial timber harvesting activities occurring in all parishes in Louisiana, forestry benefits both urban and rural areas. In 2005, Louisiana's private forest landowners received an estimated $656,398,945 from the sale of forest timber, down 19% from $796,415,422 in 2004. Timber harvesting contractors and their employees earned $518,875,819 from harvesting the trees and moving wood to mills. This total was down nearly 9% from $565,514,541 in 2004. This income is re-spent many times throughout the economy. In addition, Christmas tree growers received $965,200 from the sale of trees. Louisiana-produced pine straw sales made $72,500 in 2005. Louisiana's private sector forest tree seedling nurseries produced a crop worth $442,750 in 2005.
The payroll and income derived from money generated by the forestry and wood products industry totaled an estimated $4.7 billion in 2005, a 12% decrease from 2004 totals. The gross farm income produced by all forestry-related products, such as timber, pine straw and Christmas trees totaled $1.2 billion in 2005, down nearly 15% from $1.4 billion generated in 2004. The value added through further processing and delivery was $3.4, down 11% from the 2004 value added of $3.9. Total value (gross farm value plus value added) decreased in 2005, mainly because of reduced harvest volumes of most products and despite overall better product prices.
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Fruit Crops
Blueberries
Blueberries were produced on 319 acres in 2005, a decrease of 7% from 2004. Gross farm value increased in 2005 by 54% to $1.7 million. The increase was the result of a 29% jump in yield per acre and a 28% price increase. Average blueberry yield increased by 743 pounds to 3,307 pounds per acre in 2005. Blueberry prices were up 35 cents per pound because of a higher demand for fresh fruit in 2005.
Citrus
Citrus were grown on 1,344 acres, and had a farm value of $4.5 million. This was down from a farm value of $6.3 million in 2004. More than 80% of the citrus acreage in Plaquemines Parish was damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Louisiana citrus is sold on the wholesale markets, fruit stands and roadside stands.
Mayhaws
Orchard mayhaw trees averaged 544 pounds per acre on 186 acres, and native trees averaged 38 pounds per acre on 512 acres. Some of the orchard mayhaw acreage with older trees has started to produce yields above 2,000 pounds per acre. Orchard mayhaws yielded 100,985 pounds of fruit in 2005. This was a 22% increase over 2004.
The native mayhaw harvest was very light in 2005 with 19,650 pounds sold. Several mayhaw collecting areas were closed or had fruit harvesting restricted. Some mayhaw fruit buyers preferred orchard-grown fruit, which limited native sales in some areas. The gross farm value for mayhaws was $152,896 in 2005.
Miscellaneous Fruit
Many miscellaneous fruits are planted as either small commercial plantings or as backyard plantings. In 2005 these crops included blackberries, figs, grapes, pears, plums, apples and persimmons. They were planted on approximately 130 acres. Their 2005 estimated gross farm value was approximately $200,000.
Muscadines
Muscadine production reporting was divided into fresh fruit production and commercial production. Fresh fruit was produced on 51 acres. The fruit was usually sold at $6-$12 per gallon. The gross farm value of fresh fruit production was $125,464, an increase of 24% in 2005. Production for juice and wine was considered commercial muscadine production. Commercial muscadines were grown on 19 acres, yielding 113 tons, for a gross farm value of $36,160. The total gross farm value of muscadines was $161,624.
Peaches
Peaches were grown on 515 acres in 2005. Gross farm value was $2, 965,480 in 2005, an increase of 33%. The increase in farm value primarily was caused by higher prices received for fresh fruit. The yield per acre was 144 bushel. Chilling hours for many varieties were borderline or low. Some growers used Dormex on high chill varieties to counteract inadequate chilling.
Strawberries
Ninety producers grew 420 acres of strawberries in 2005 for a gross farm value of $11.3 million. This was a $5 million increase in gross farm value from 2004. Average 2005 yield was nearly 2,600 flats per acre, an increase from 2,000 flats an acre from 2004. This increase was mainly the result of mild temperatures and dry weather in the winter and spring. The use of different varieties and nurseries as sources of plants also played a role in this increase.
Tangipahoa was the leading parish, with 48 producers growing 320 acres of strawberries for a gross farm value of $9 million. Most Louisiana strawberries are marketed through peddlers. Some go to wholesale outlets, and the balance is sold at roadside stands and farmers' markets.
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Hay Sold
Hay production for commercial sales is a limited part of the total hay production in Louisiana. Nevertheless, hay produced from 135 acres of alfalfa and 248,657 acres of grasslands was sold by 2,637 producers in 2005. Yields averaged 2 tons per acre from the grasslands harvested for sale and 4 tons per acre from the alfalfa harvested for sale. Production included 551,131 tons of grass hay and 570 tons of alfalfa hay. Compared to values reported in 2004, the acreage of grasslands used for commercial hay production increased by 5,830 acres while yields decreased by about 50%. As a result, production of the 2005 hay crop for sale was about 231,000 tons lower than that of the 2004 crop. This reduction was caused by dry weather conditions present throughout much of the state during the summer and fall months and also by hurricane damage to hayfields in the fall. Gross farm value was $33.2 million, which was about $1.0 million lower than the 2004 crop value.
Hay for all uses was grown on 350,000 acres and produced 2.3 tons per acre, for a total production of 805,000 tons. This total production in 2005 was about 38% lower than that reported in 2004. The number of acres devoted to hay production decreased by 20,000 acres from 2004 to 2005.
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Home Vegetable Gardens
The 2005 gross farm value of home vegetable gardens in Louisiana was estimated to be $87.6 million. Parish reports indicated 337,106 home gardens statewide, suggesting that garden interest was down 2.3% from 2004. Every parish had home gardens; highest concentrations (about 39.0% of total) were in the metropolitan areas of New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport. Value reflected estimated fall crop losses from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
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Nursery Crops
Commercial nursery crop production in 2005 had a gross farm gate value of $109.7 million. Fruit and nut crop producers numbered 39 and grew crops with a value of $2.6 million. Floriculture and bedding plant producers numbered 169; crop value was $35.4 million. Woody ornamentals were the largest segment of the nursery crop industry, with 464 producers producing an estimated farm gate value of $65.2 million in 2005. Foliage plants were grown by 128 producers and had a farm gate value of $6.5 million.
With a value added of $55.9 million, the total wholesale value of the nursery production industry in 2005 was $165.6 million.
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Pecans
Louisiana harvested 4.7 million pounds of pecans in 2005, which was 9.9 million pounds below the 10-year average of 14.6 million pounds. The crop was composed of 2.9 million pounds of improved pecans and 1.8 million pounds of native pecans. The gross farm value was estimated at $5.3 million, which was a decrease of 39% from 2004 and 65% from 2003.
The size of the crop this year initially was severely reduced by an outbreak of forest tent caterpillars in Pointe Coupee Parish, the top pecan-producing parish in Louisiana. The pecan crop also suffered from severe drought in most areas of the state. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita drastically damaged the pecan crop in all areas of the state.
The most obvious damage was the blown-over trees, broken limbs and leaves and nuts blown out of the trees. Damage discovered later was that the stems of many of the pecans remaining on the trees were damaged to the point where the nuts were not able to mature properly. These nuts had to be removed manually, which slowed the harvest and caused extra expenses. Louisiana lost approximately 50% of the pecan crop because of hurricane damage.
The positive side of the pecan crop was the excellent prices Louisiana growers received for their crop because of the unexpected low crops in Georgia and the Gulf Coast states.
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Rice
Rice acreage in Louisiana decreased nearly 10,000 acres from 533,364 in 2004 to 523,739 in 2005, mainly because of unfavorable commodity prices for rice at planting time. Acreage remains below the high level of 640,000 in 1999, and it is expected to decrease in 2006 because of low prices, increased energy costs and damage resulting from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Average yield per acre was 6,105 pounds, nearly 260 pounds per acre more than 2004 and near the record of 6,157 in 2003. Higher yields helped offset the decrease in acres resulting in an increased total production of nearly 32 million hundredweight in 2005 or about 0.8 million hundredweight more than 2004.
The Louisiana crop was harvested by 1,383 producers, 103 fewer than in 2004. The number of rice farmers has declined steadily for more than a decade and, given current conditions, will continue to do so. The crop had a gross farm value of $225 million, a decrease of $24 million. Value added in marketing, processing and transportation increased the value by $67.6 million for a total value of $293 million in 2005.
Rice acreage in Louisiana is expected to decrease below 500,000 acres in 2006. Acreage planted to rice will depend on the price at planting, expected energy costs and assessments of salt water damage to rice fields in coastal parishes.
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Sod Production
In 2005, 26 sod farms (up two from 2004) cultivated 4,099 acres of fine turf grasses. Sod acreage was reported stable. Gross farm sales were $24.6 million. About 60% of the sod acreage in Louisiana is centipede grass. The remaining acreage is divided among St. Augustine, Bermudas and Zoysias, in that order. With new construction and Louisiana farms producing good quality sod, sod markets continue to hold a better price. Markets are expected to improve dramatically as construction increases from hurricane recovery. Shipping costs are expensive, so local sod is more competitive. Marketing is not currently a limiting factor.
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Soybeans
Soybeans were harvested on 883,440 acres in 2005, with about 60% of the total acres planted to maturity groups III and IV and 40% to groups V and VI. The 2005 yields equaled the record of 37 bushels per acre in 2003. This yield was attained even though 2005 had a difficult growing season because of weather. The biggest problems producers had besides the drought late in the season was cercospera and the red-banded stink bug. These issues were handled by proper chemical applications. There were a large number of green bean acres because of the drought stress. No soybean rust was found during the cropping season.
Late in 2004, Asian soybean rust was discovered in Louisiana - the first spotting of this disease in the United States. Methods of dealing with this Asian soybean rust remain under development.
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Sugarcane
In 2005, sugarcane was grown on 447,848 acres (a decrease of 13,890 acres or 3.0% compared to the 2004 crop) by 694 producers (a decrease of 40 producers or 5.5%) in 24 Louisiana parishes. An estimated 412,020 acres (a decrease of 12,779 acres or 3.0%) were available for harvest for sugar (assuming 8.0% of the total acres were used for seed cane purposes); however, approximately 75,000 tons of cane (3,500 acres) were left standing in the field in the Lacassine area of western Louisiana as a new syrup factory slated for operation in that area was not ready in time for the 2005 crop.
Because of the cane left in the field in the western area of the state, the actual acreage of sugarcane harvested for sugar was approximately 408,520 acres (a decrease of 16,279 acres or 3.8%). The factory is expected to commence operations in early 2006 and will process the remaining cane into high test molasses, barring a killing freeze that would render the cane unmarketable.
The 13 raw sugar factories (a decrease of two factories or 13.3% from the 2004 crop) operating in the state processed 10,786,275 tons of cane (a decrease of 697,836 tons or 6.1%) producing 1,170,299 short tons of sugar (96 pol) (a decrease of 3,729 short tons or 0.3%). Accordingly, the average yield of cane per total acre (to include acres used for seed and the 3,500 acres left standing in the field) was 24.1 tons (a decrease of 0.8 tons or 3.2%). The average yield of cane from each harvested acre amounted to 26.4 tons (a decrease of 0.6 tons or 2.2%).
Sugar produced per total acre amounted to 5,226 pounds (an increase 141 pounds or 2.8%). And sugar produced per harvested acre was approximately 5,729 pounds (an increase of 202 pounds or 3.7%). The average sugar recovery at the 13 factories was 10.93% or 218 pounds of sugar (96 pol) per ton of cane, an increase of 6.9% compared to the 2004 crop.
The gross farm value of $292 million for sugar and molasses (a decrease of $13 million from the 2004 crop and $63 million from the 1999 crop), as reported in the crop production statistics, was 60% of the value of the sugar and 50% of the value of the molasses produced, with the remaining percentage going to processing and marketing.
Gross farm value for sugarcane has continued to fall since 2002, when the state experienced two tropical systems, Tropical Storm Isidore and Hurricane Lili. The onset of allotments, the gradual reduction in sugarcane acreage, the residual effect of Isidore and Lili on the subsequent crops, the keeping of older stubble, the reduced yield of the leading variety, LCP 85-384 and the three tropical systems - Tropical Storm Cindy and hurricanes Katrina and Rita that struck the state during the summer of 2005 - are, undoubtedly, responsible for this downturn in gross farm value of the sugarcane crop to Louisiana. Even with this downturn, however, sugarcane still ranked first amongst row crops grown in the state.
The total planted area of 447,848 acres for the 2005 crop was the smallest amount of cane grown for sugar since the 1998 crop year when 425,000 acres were grown. Further, many producers had to plow out unproductive fields in the spring of 2005 that were previously affected by harvesting equipment during the 2002 crop year because of the persistent wet weather following the two tropical systems.
Approximately 89% of the 2005 crop was planted to one variety, LCP 85-384, which has shown a significant decline in yield each year since the 2002 crop. Further, data obtained in 2004 showed that this variety is very susceptible to common rust that was shown to reduce its yield by as much as 7 tons of cane per acre in the heavier infected areas. Although the amount of plant cane rebounded somewhat in 2005, approximately 42.9% of the crop was still in second and older stubble.
The 2005 crop year was one of contrast regarding turbulent weather conditions. Temperature, as an average for all state reporting stations, fluctuated during the year. Degree averages were above normal in January (+5), February (+2), June (+1), August (+2), September (+5) and November (+2). They were below normal in March (-1), May (-1) and December (-2). They were normal in April, July and October.
Rainfall, as an average for all state reporting stations, was below normal for nine of the 12 months and above normal for only three months (February, July and September). Generally speaking, the crop had a good start in the spring with excellent tilling weather; however, much of the state suffered drought conditions during the grand growth period, resulting in below-normal growth.
In July, Tropical Storm Cindy significantly damaged the sugarcane crops in southern Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. The entire sugar industry then took devastating hits from hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which crossed the coastline approximately three weeks apart in late August and mid-September.
Katrina was an extraordinarily powerful and deadly hurricane that carved a wide swath of catastrophic damage in the eastern parishes of the sugarcane belt. After reaching category 5 intensity over the central Gulf of Mexico, Katrina weakened to category 3 before making landfall on the northern Gulf Coast east of New Orleans on August 29. Rita was also a category 5 storm that made landfall as a category 3 storm west of Lake Charles on September 22.
When hurricanes occur, the impact on agricultural in general, and to sugarcane in particular, can originate from several different sources. Four major sources affected sugarcane.
1. Sugar losses caused by delayed maturity. Research has shown that one can expect little increase in yield of recoverable sugar per ton of cane following a catastrophic event such as a hurricane. However, because of the weather conditions following the storms, i.e. low rainfall and plenty of sunlight, maturity was only adversely affected for a short period, after which sucrose accumulation was at or above normal.
2. Sugar losses caused by excessive trash. Research has shown that the average trash in harvested cane that is erect ranges from 8%-12%. On the other hand, average trash in lodged cane can range from 18%-22% or higher with a loss of 3 pounds of sugar per ton for each 1% trash in harvested cane. Because of the dry field conditions, however, the level of trash in harvested cane was relatively low, considering the lodged conditions. In many instances, producers were able to reduce trash content by burning in standing cane prior to harvesting by cane combine or burning on the "heap row" for cane harvested by the whole-stalk or soldier harvester.
3. Sugar losses caused by broken tops. According to a survey completed by county agents following the passage of Cindy, Katrina and Rita, there was an average of approximately 10% broken tops for the industry. It appeared, however, that these broken tops had little effect on sugar recovery, although it did have some effect on yield of tons of cane per acre at harvest.
4. Cane losses caused by harvesting efficiency. Average harvest efficiency of harvesting green, lodged cane by the combine harvest system is approximately 90%; with the whole-stalk system that figure is 75%. Again, however, because of the relatively dry harvest season and plenty of sunlight, much of the lodged cane was relatively erect at harvest. Further, by burning in standing cane, combine harvester efficiency was considerably improved. Also, harvester efficiency of the whole-stalk system was improved by the lower-than-anticipated field yields.
Another consideration following the passage of tropical systems was the residual effect on the subsequent stubble crops. Following the passage of the two tropical systems and wet field conditions in 2002, it was documented that the residual impact on the subsequent stubble crop was a loss of approximately 15% in yield of tons of cane per acre for the 2003 crop. It was seen that the residual effect went beyond just one year following an event of this magnitude.
Other special situations of concern during the 2005 crop were the flooded fields that reduced yield of recoverable sugar per ton of cane especially in Iberia and St. Mary parishes. Overall, approximately 30,000 acres flooded in these parishes as well as in Terrebonne Parish.
Also of concern was the fact that much of the flood waters had high concentrations of salt - up to 15,000 ppm - that left high concentrations of salt in the surface soil. It is too early to determine if these high levels of salt will have a residual effect on the cane yield in the subsequent crops.
These flood waters also affected the germination and growth of newly planted cane. In several instances these flood waters actually killed the cane. This demise necessitates the replanting of these fields at considerable monetary expense. For the producers in Vermilion Parish, the debris that occurred from the 8- to 12-foot tidal surge added to the loss of yield both of tons of cane and of sugar per ton of cane on approximately 5,000 acres, along with the added cost of harvesting those fields.
Because of the low yields, especially in older stubble, many growers reverted back to harvesting by the whole-stalk system, in an effort to reduce cost of harvesting. In many instances, field yields did not improve significantly in the first-stubble or plant-cane crops. It appeared that LCP 85-384 did not perform very well across the state; however, it is known that LCP 85-384 does not perform well with a high water table, nor does it yield to its potential under drought conditions. It is assumed that common rust also impacted its yield in areas of high infection. However, field yields of three other varieties - HoCP 85-845, HoCP 91-555 and HoCP 96-540 - appeared superior to those of LCP 85-384 when grown under similar conditions and crop year.
Growers were likewise pleased with the appearance of the two new varieties, L 97-128 and Ho 95-988. There was only limited planting of LCP 85-384 in 2005, with most producers expanding the newer varieties, especially HoCP 96-540 and L 97-128.
Sugar prices remained relatively constant through most of 2005 ($20.45/cwt) being slightly higher to the prices received for 2004 ($20.25/cwt). In recent months, however, sugar prices have increased and are holding firm, but this increase may be too little too late to have a significant impact on the overall price paid for sugar for the 2005 crop. On the other hand, molasses prices are averaging $0.35 per gallon and are expected to increase before the end of the pricing period for the 2005 crop. On the spot market, molasses price has exceeded $100 per ton.
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Sweet Potatoes
About 17,225 acres of sweet potatoes were planted in Louisiana in 2005 - an increase of more than 2,000 acres over 2004. The average FOB price received for the 2005 crop was about $14.75 for a 40-pound box. Processors paid an average of $2 a bushel. The farm gate value of the 2005 fresh crop was $49.6 million and for canning sweet potatoes $3.8 million, making a gross value of $53.4 million for all sweet potatoes. Value added is estimated at $39.0 million, for a total economic value of $92.4 million.
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Vegetables - Commercial
The Louisiana vegetable industry saw 3,000 growers produce more than 30 different crops on 9,953 crop acres, for a gross farm value of $47.6 million. This was an increase in gross farm value of $10 million from 2004. This increase was the result of good spring and summer growing conditions and higher wholesale and retail prices. The fall vegetable crop season was severely damaged by hurricanes Katrina and Rita in all areas of the state.
The leading parish in commercial vegetable production was Tangipahoa, with a gross farm value of $10.2 million. Plaquemines was second, with a gross farm value of $8.1 million. The leading vegetable crop in the state was tomatoes, with a gross farm value of $18 million, followed by watermelons ($5.6 million), southern peas ($5.0 million) and bell peppers ($2.9 million). Okra and mustard greens tied for fifth, at $2.2 million each.
Most produce grown in the state is marketed by direct sales at farmers' markets or roadside stands. Direct marketing provides a simple low-risk means of marketing where growers can obtain a premium price for their crops.
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Vegetables - Greenhouse
In 2005, 18 parishes (down by 6) had farms commercially growing greenhouse vegetables on 5.3 acres of greenhouse space. Acreage was down by 16% from 2004. All production was devoted to tomatoes, except for 4,000 square feet of hydroponic lettuce. Distribution of the industry was statewide, and sales were to local markets. All greenhouse produce was for fresh market sales, and much was sold direct-retail by growers. Estimated gross farm value of Louisiana greenhouse vegetables was nearly $1.6 million last year. Energy costs have become and will remain a major cost of production. Little expansion in the greenhouse industry is expected.
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Wheat
Wheat was harvested from 106,688 acres by 417 producers in 2005, a decrease from the 159,379 acres harvested in 2004. Yields for 2005 averaged 56 bushels per acre, which was 5 bushels per acre higher than the average yield reported in 2004. Total production was nearly 6.0 million bushels, which was down considerably from the 8.1 million bushels harvested in 2004. The gross farm value of the 2005 crop was valued at $19.6 million, significantly lower than the 2004 crop valued at $26.4 million.
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