CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE RELEASES FIELD CROP PLANTING ESTIMATES FOR 2004

SACRAMENTO - The following is an estimate of crop plantings for 2004, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s California Agricultural Statistics Service. These estimates of acreage planted and to be planted are based on a survey of more than 2,000 California farmers conducted during the first two weeks of March. The impact of weather and/or market conditions since then is not reflected in this report.

Cotton - California farmers were intending to plant 560,000 acres to Upland cotton in 2004, up 2 percent from the acreage seeded in 2003.  In addition, growers were expecting to seed 200,000 acres to American Pima cotton in 2004, up 33 percent from last year.

Corn - California farmers were expected to plant 550,000 acres of corn for all purposes in 2004, 6 percent more than last year.

Oats - Farmers in California had planted or were expected to plant 280,000 acres of oats, up 8 percent from 2003.

Wheat - Acreage seeded to Winter wheat is estimated at 550,000 acres, down 19 percent from last year.  Another 110,000 acres have been seeded to Durum wheat, down 15 percent from 2003.

Rice - California farmers intended to seed rice on 556,000 acres, a 9 percent increase from the 2003 seeded acreage.  The expressed intentions were to seed 510,000 acres to medium grain varieties, up 11 percent from a year ago. Long grain rice acreage is forecast at 6,000 acres, down 14 percent from last season. Short grain rice planted acreage is forecast at 40,000 acres, 5 percent below 2003. Short grain and all rice forecasts include the intended plantings of sweet rice.

Barley - California farmers had planted or intended to plant 110,000 acres to barley, up 10 percent from the previous year.

Sugar Beets - California producers had planted or intended to plant 50,500 acres of sugar beets, down 1 percent from the seeded acreage in 2003.

Dry Edible Beans - Seeding of dry edible beans was planned for 73,000 acres in California, down 5 percent from last year.

Sweet Potatoes - California farmers were expected to plant 11,000 acres of sweet potatoes in 2004, 6 percent more than last year.

All Hay - California producers intended to harvest hay from 1.48 million acres, 6 percent less than last year.

Sorghum - Farmers in California were intending to plant 19,000 acres to sorghum in 2004, up 6 percent from the 2003 acreage.

The California Agricultural Statistics Service operates under a cooperative agreement between the California Department of Food and Agriculture and USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.  The joint service prepares and distributes statistics on California agriculture. 

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