Recently, this information was released from the National Agricultural Statistics Service with average statewide production and yield data.

Although the report is for the state, the yield information and acreage trends are very similar for Butler County.

Based on year-end acreage and yield data, production of about half of the major field crops showed an increase from last year.

Corn for grain, soybeans, winter wheat and barley had higher production in 2013 than in 2012. Corn for silage, oats and hay had lower production in 2013, according to the Pennsylvania office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Production of dry hay in Pennsylvania was below last year’s production.

Corn for grain production totaled 160 million bushels, up 21 percent from last year’s production. Corn acres harvested for grain were estimated at 1,090,000, and the average yield was 147 bushels per acre, up 15 bushels from 2012.

Corn for silage production totaled 7.8 million tons and was down 2 percent from production in 2012.

Acres harvested for silage totaled 380,000, down 60,000 from 2012. Silage yield was 20.5 tons per acre, up 2.5 tons per acre from the 2012 yield.

Alfalfa dry hay production was 986,000 tons, 5 percent below last year’s production. Acres harvested were 340,000, down 60,000 acres from last year, with an average yield of 2.9 tons per acre.

Alfalfa haylage and green chop production was 2.1 million tons (green weight), 33 percent above last year’s production. Acres harvested were 285,000 with an average yield of 7.3 tons per acre. Alfalfa acres newly seeded in 2013 for crop production in 2013 totaled 80,000 acres, down 10,000 acres from the year before.

All other dry hay acres harvested totaled 920,000 acres, a decrease of 100,000 acres from last year, with a yield of 2.10 tons per acre for a total production of 1.93 million tons, down less than a percent from last year.

Total forage production on a dry equivalent basis was 4.29 million tons, 5 percent below last year’s production. Forage was harvested from 1.54 million acres, about 9 percent fewer acres than last year. Average forage yield per acre in 2013 was 2.79 dry tons, compared to 2.42 dry tons a year before.

Oat production was 3.1 million bushels, 22 percent below last year’s production. Harvested acres totaled 50,000, down 15,000 acres from last year. The average yield was 62 bushels per acre, 1 bushel above last year.

Production of winter wheat was 10.9 million bushels, 15 percent above the 2012 production. Harvested acres totaled 160,000, which was 15,000 acres more than 2012. Average yield was 68 bushels per acre, 3 bushels per acre more than last year.

Barley production was 4.10 million bushels, 13 percent above 2012. Acreage harvested was 7,000 more than a year ago at 60,000, with an average yield per acre of 68 bushels, unchanged from a year ago.

Soybean production, at 26.2 million bushels, was 5 percent above last year’s production. Acreage harvested was 535,000, a 15,000 acre increase from 2012. The 2013 yield was 49.0 bushels per acre, 1 bushel per acre more than a year ago.

Luke Fritz is executive director of the Butler County Farm Service Agency.