Nebraska’s number of farms and ranches declined during 2009, according USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office.
The number of farms and ranches in the State is 47,200, down 200 or less than 1 percent lower than 2008. Numbers of farms and ranches in Nebraska with less than $100,000 in agricultural sales declined 1,400 farms, while operations with more than $100,000 were up 1,200 farms.
The decline in smaller farms was largely the result of existing farms moving into higher sales categories.
Land in farms and ranches in Nebraska totaled 45.6 million acres, unchanged from last year. The average size of operation increased to 966 acres, up 4 acres from 2008.

Grand Island has set a record for the number of consecutive days with a snow depth of 3 inches or more, according to the National Weather Service in Hastings.

According to NWS, those consecutive days began with the first big snowfall of December on Dec. 6. Since then, the official snow depth at Grand Isalnd has remained at least 3 inches or greater.

The snow depth has actually been much greater than 3 inches over a majority of the period with a snow depth of 10 inches or greater on 33 of the days this winter, the NWS said.

December was the snowiest December on record, according NWS. The heavy snowfall has also been accompanied by temperatures that averaged much below normal from December through early January, which set the stage for the prolonged snow cover.

While a January thaw by mid-to-late January melted much of the snow, the NWS said enough remained at or greater than three inches.

While the record continues, as of Monday, Grand Island officially recorded a snow depth of 3 inches or more for 64 consecutive days, which brought the old record of 60 consecutive days set back in the winter of 1983/1984, the NWS said.

NWS also reported that the it also moves Grand Island fourth place for the number of consecutive days with a snow depth of 1 inch or greater.

The record for the number of consecutive days with a snow depth of 1 inch or great is 102 consecutive days which was set back in the winter of 1978/1979. For Grand Island to break that record, according to NWS, the snow of 1 inch or more would have be remain in place through mid-March.

NWS also reported that another snow depth record that Grand Island reached earlier this winter was the number of consecutive days with a snow depth of 1 foot or more, which was tied in mid-January at 21 consecutive days.

Grand Island has had 40.1 inches of snow this season and 35.6 inches since Dec. 1.

The USDA’s World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates, released Tuesday, reported that total U.S. meat production for 2010 is little changed as higher beef production is more than offset by lower forecast production of pork and turkey.

The cattle report estimated the cattle numbers on January 1, 2010, declined from the previous year, but implied the number of cattle outside feedlots remains close to last year. Thus, according to USDA, forecast placements and marketings are raised, resulting in higher forecast cattle slaughter. However, partly offsetting the increase in expected slaughter, cattle weights are reduced for early 2010 due to severe weather which has impacted weight gain.

Pork production, the report said, is reduced as slaughter has been lower than expected and weights slightly lighter. Turkey production for 2010 was reduced as the pace of growth implied by hatchery data has been less than expected.

Broiler meat and egg production forecasts are unchanged from last month. Estimated meat production for 2009 is adjusted to reflect December slaughter data.

According to the report, only small changes are made to 2009 beef exports. There are no changes to red meat export forecasts for 2010 but the broiler export forecast is reduced from last month. Recently announced duties on U.S. broilers by China and continued trade restrictions in several other countries will pressure broiler exports.

Cattle price forecasts are lowered for 2010 as larger numbers of fed cattle are expected to pressure prices, the report said. Hog prices are raised as tighter supplies may help support prices. Broiler prices are forecast higher in 2010 as domestic demand is expected to grow.

The USDA’s World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates, released Tuesday, reported  that U.S. feed grain ending stocks for 2009/10 are projected lower this month with higher expected corn use and sorghum exports.

According to WASDE, corn used for ethanol is projected 100 million bushels higher reflecting the latest ethanol production data from the Energy Information Agency.November’’s record ethanol production was up 3 percent from the previous record in October as higher prices for ethanol and distillers grains boosted ethanol producer returns.

November-December corn use for ethanol was up 16 percent from the same period in 2008/09.  Although returns have declined since November, recently lower corn prices continue to support profitability for ethanol producers. A 5-million-bushel reduction in expected corn use for sweeteners partly offsets the increase for ethanol.

Corn exports for 2009/10 are projected 50 million bushels lower on increased competition from Argentina. Ending stocks are projected 45 million bushels lower.

The projected marketing-year average farm price for corn is narrowed 5 cents on both ends of the range to $3.45 to $3.95 per bushel.