A36-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 22, 2003
Editor’s note: This is a month
ly column from the Pennsylvania
Ag Statistics Service (PASS), a
field office of USDA’s National
Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS) in cooperation with the
Pennsylvania Department of Ag
riculture (PDA). The Website is
H’K’H'. usda.gov/nass/.
Pennsylvania
Machinery Custom Rates
2003
By Scott W Shimmin
Agricultural Statistician
The custom rates shown are averages from voluntary reports by custom operators and
farmers throughout Pennsylvania Most ot the rates are stated per at re twt ton, bale or
bushel rather than per hour to reduce the variation due to machinery size Individual rates
\ary due to differences in working conditions services performed or even ihe operator s
eagerness to do custom work Therefore the average rates shown should not be considered
absolute indications ot fair charges
\crcagc rates are shown separately tor two regions of the state labeled "Mountain"
and Valley" The differences in rates between regions reflect differences m terrain sods and
alternative opportunities tor the labor and equipment used I igurcs labeled "State represent
the straight average ot all reports used regardless ot geographic location
Ot tlie rates reported with year to year comparisons 41 increased, 16 decreased,
ami 6 ire the same as last year Thirteen new items were added to the survey this year
Because ol (he potential variation in size and overall productivity of equipment, a range of
reported r ites lot each job has been added I lie range represents the middle 80 percent ot all
uported rales tor each job thus the lowest 10 percent and the highest 10 percent of all
reported values were excluded
Custom Rates. Selected Farmmi
{ ofn Picking
Co n Combining
C u i Dfyir q \2i Pcuenll
( omtj nn g Small Grams
Combming Soybeans
Hav Making
Mowing
Mowing & Condihonmq
kiku y
Snnl baua f c Balmy
Cji kake Ban# A Stive
I >ryc Round Baling
Large Square Bal ng
Size
Wroppmg Rales
Snage MaKmq
Pull Type Choppe & Tractor
bc'f Propelled Chopper
Less than 350 HP
Go aler tt an 350
Blower
1 Mm 7 Wagons 1 Trader
/Men n Writjoi s 2 Traders
IMm Trick
F plrt ( hop 1 laul & hill Silo
Bagging b age
A t age Diameter
Hlov rig Moldboard PI jw
Si hh'p
Plowng Oceo (10 inches or Kioto) Acre
Plowing Chisel
P own j Ds<
Dijhi g I anj( rn
vViih Ha n w o CultipacKi,
H ir cm ng
C ill db iq
P nr -ujOum Wi r he Mi cr
Mu nun Tilt
Kt IHI
Plti i i(j (on 'Vi nngl Pprlinzp
i i ue I'mm' Till
Mir mun Till
I'm I ill
Mil. übcvbudris Wi noul Fen Uer
i i i u n or i Till
Mu uir Till
hn Til
Unlling
NASS
Agriculture Counts
By Marc Tosiano
Pa. State Statistician
DON’T LET PA.
GET SHORTCHANGED
Don’t let Pennsylvania be under
counted in the Ag Census! It
could have an impact on the fu
ture funding of the ag services or
programs that you use right here
in Pennsylvania.
Here is a partial list of items
ig Operations,
I Basis of Mountain Section
Charge j (Dollars)
22. 70
25 60
24 10
25 50
10 40
11 80
7 00
0 49
1 05
6 85
Acre
Bale
bale
Bale
1 020 lbs
7 65
960 lbs
5 70
59 TO
173 40
47 70
46 70
7 55
b 50
12 30
12 60
13 40
11 10
12 20
9 40
0 90
'ennsylvania, 2003
Stale j
(Dollars) \
Valley Section
(Dollars)
Harvesting
c 2 20
25 20
0 27
2410
25 00
’1 90
75 00
027
24 30
24 90
11 00
12 00
5 75
0 48
130 lbs
850 lbs
q?o ins
5 35
920 lbs
5 10
65 80
167 10
9 20
51 60
-T 6 20
14 30
5 00
8 5 feel
- Plowing & Cultivating
13 00
14 30
15 70
1? 30
V <0
Planting 4 Drilling
11 fO
1b 30
13 70
14 10
15 70
1--0
that are affected by counts from
the Census of Agriculture: Exten
sion funding and staffing, ag re
search grants, farm bill pro
grams, crop insurance, farm
loans by private lenders, small
farm programs. Sustainable Agri
culture Research and Education
program, programs run by the
Pennsylvania Department of Ag
riculture, and much more.
I wish to thank the thousands
of people in Pennsylvania who
have already sent in their com
pleted Ag Census form.
However, growers in about
15-20 other states are doing bet
ter at returning their Ag Census
forms. We want to be fairly rep
resented compared to other states
because an undercount will short
change Pennsylvania agriculture
for the next five years.
That’s why, in the next week
or two, we are mailing a third
form to those who have not yet
responded. Although we don’t
want to bother you at home, after
that, we will have to make phone
calls or farm visits to ask for your
help.
Within our borders, county
statistics from the Ag Census will
often be the only information
about your county until the next
Ag Census, which is five years
away. A complete count is
needed for every county so that
your county is properly repre
sented compared to the rest.
So far. Centre, Elk, and Frank
lin counties are leading the Penn
sylvania responses, but many
counties are way behind these
leaders. Any county that comes
up short in the final tally may not
get fair consideration for exten
sion services or other decisions
that affect Pennsylvania growers.
Remember small, part-time,
and hobby farms must be count
ed, too. Call toll-free (888)
4AG-STAT or (888) 424-7828 if
you did not receive a census form
or if you need any help complet
ing the form.
Pa. Custom
Rates Published
This annual report shows the
state average rates for more than
Range
(Dollar*)
13 50 28 00
22 00 29 00
012 G4U
22 00 27 00
22 00 28 00
800 14 00
900 15 00
400 800
030 075
080 140
500 900
600 1 350 lbs
500 10 00
650 1 400 its
325 7 00
37 50 100 00
100 00 240 00
70 00 200 00
50 00 260 00
500 15 00
30 00 90 00
45 00 100 00
3d 00 50 00
300 10 01)
250 860
10 00 1 6 CO
12 7 00
200 18 00
-0 00 15 00
oor 500
750 14 00
800 15 00
500 12 03
500 10 00
000 mu
200 IPO'
11 00 20 0
10 00 lb 00
11 00 18 (J w
mo iao n
10 00 If I)
’0 00 18 O'
uuo >ouu
10 00 18 03
80 contracted services, including
plowing and cultivating, planting
and drilling, spraying, harvest
ing, and more. Averages are also
published for mountain and val
ley regions of the state.
New features in this report in
clude 13 new items added for
2003. We are also publishing the
range of reported charges after
removing the highest 10 percent
and lowest 10 percent across the
state.
This popular report was
funded by the Pennsylvania De
partment of Agriculture but it is
only possible thanks to voluntary
reports by custom operators and
Pennsylvania farmers. Thank
you!
The results of the Custom
Rates survey can be found here
in this issue of Lancaster Farm
ing or at www.nass.usda.gov/pa/
by clicking on “Publications and
Releases.”
Pennsylvania 2002 trout pro
duction ranks fifth in the nation
based on the value of trout sold.
Pennsylvania sales account for 7
percent of national trout sales.
Only Idaho, North Carolina,
Washington, and California had
more trout sales.
Thank you to all the producers
who helped us with your re
sponse to the annual trout survey
conducted every January. The
survey contacted all known pro
ducers and hatcheries.
Pennsylvania’s 61 commercial
trout growers sold 1.64 million
pounds of trout valued at $4.56
million during 2002. This was
down from the 1.88 million
pounds valued at $4.89 million
sold in 2000. Only Wisconsin has
more trout growers than Pennsyl
vania, with 65 operations.
Pennsylvania ranks first in the
nation for the value of trout dis
tributed for conservation and rec
reational purposes. With a value
of $lO.B million, Pennsylvania ac
counts for 16.6 percent of the na
tiofTs distributed trout. This in
cludes trout released by state
hatcheries, cooperative nurseries,
and private fishing clubs.
Drilling Small Gram Without Feililizo r
Conventional Till
Minimum Till
No Till
Seeding Alfalfa Clover Etc
Broadcast Seeomg (On Grain FiphJs)
Cleaning Gram Seed
With Treatment
Without Treatment
Ground equipment
Spray ng for Weed Control Excl Mater ai
Spraymg for Corn Borer
Spraying for Spittle Bug or Alfalfa Weevil
Gram Hauling
Local
Long Distanre
Gram Storage
Stalk Shredding P T O
Bushhogging
Spreading Bulk fertilizer
Liquid
Sid# Drr .sing
Gnndinq Feed
Corn Oats or Baric/
Corn & Cobs
Additional Charge for Mixing
Machine Tiling (No Tile)
Back Hoe
Sawing Wood Cham Saw
Post Hole Digging
Manure Loading So/# i
Manure Spreading Solid
Manure Pumping
Manure Spread ng Ihi m<
Bulldozing
Average Size
Tnctor Hcdai Pam
Less 'ha 8J HP
80 to 12 n HP
IzOtr UhP
Greater than Ibo HP
2002 Trout Summary
Published Feb. 28
Custom Rates: Selected Farming Operal
Pennsylvania,2oo3, Continued
Basis of Mountain Section Valley Section
Charge (Dollars) (Dollars)
11 90
13 20
14 70
0u Per Month
Cwt
fwt
Cwt
Cwt
Fool
0 65
45 20
14 80
1 ( HP
28 20
The complete report includes
statistics for the 20 major trout
producing states. The tables in
clude trout sales by size of fish,
first point of sale by size of fish,
trout losses by reason for loss,
distributed trout by size of fish,
and trout eggs both sold and dis
tributed.
For the complete Trout report,
search for “Trout” in the com
modity list at www.usda.gov/
nass/search.htm.
2002 Honey Summary
Published Feb. 28
Honey statistics are compiled
for producers with five or more
colonies. Thank you to all the
producers who helped us with
your response to the annual
honey survey conducted every
December. The survey contacted
all large producers and a sample
of smaller honey operations.
Pennsylvania honey produc
tion in 2002 totaled 1.026 million
pounds, up 6 percent from the
969,000 pounds in 2001. This
honey was pulled from 18,000
colonies statewide, up 1,000 from
last year. The average yield was
57 pounds per colony, same as
2001.
Total Pennsylvania stocks of
honey, as of Dec. 15, 2002, were
513,000 pounds, about the same
as the previous year.
Pennsylvania honey producers
received an average price of $1.30
per pound, compared to 92 cents
last year.
Nationwide, there were 2.524
million colonies producing honey
in 2002. National honey produc
tion totaled 171 million pounds,
down 8 percent from previous
year. Yield per colony averaged
67.8 pounds, compared to 74.0
pounds in 2001.
National producer honey
stocks were 39.05 million pounds
on Dec. 15, 2002, down 40 per
cent from a year earlier.
Prices for the 2001 U.S. honey
crop averaged $1.29 per pound,
compared to 70.4 cents last year.
For the complete Honey re
port, search for “Honey” in the
commodity list at
www.usda.gov/nass/search.htm.
(ions,
State
(Dollars)
Planting & Drilling (Continued)
12 30
1360
1500
1240
13 70
1500
14 50
7 00
13 80
7 10
Spraying
Miscellaneous
1300
0 75
0 40
0 80
47 80
49 30
19 60
1 50
1 50
35 20
37 10
3* 10
37 50
23 &0
63 20
23 80
60 6 A
67 9''
75 50
125 HP
120 HP
18 30
23 10
25 50
20 3J
23 70
t64Q
31 30
29 90
Range
fDot/ars)
800 15 50
10 00 16 00
11 00 1800
10 00 19 00
250 11 00
085 1 85
050 130
600 10 00
600 10 00
600 900
0 10 018
0 15 040
002 0 10
700 13 00
6 50 20 00
500 800
500 900
600 10 00
500 13 00
050 100
o*3o 100
030 100
0 15 070
050 100
35 00 65 00
10 00 25 00
050 2CO
25 00 48 0C
20 00 55 00
10 00 50 00
40 00 90 00
45 00 87 00
68 180 HP
10 00 35 00
12 00 38 00
15 00 10 00
20 00 43 20