PART 3 REPORT ON WISCONSIN AGRICULTURE FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Wisconsin is primarily a State of family-sized, owner-operated farms. According to the 1945 census of agriculture, 79 percent of Wisconsin's 178,000 farms were operated by full or part owners, and almost 70 percent of them were between 50 and 219 acres; 143,100 farms, or 81 percent of the total, reported that the value of products ranged from $1,000-$9,999 with 45 percent in the $2,500-$5,999 group. Dairy products were the major source of value of farm products on 65 percent of the farms; 159,463 farms, or 90 percent, reported cows and heifers milked. The value of farm land and buildings in Wisconsin was nearly 1% billion dollars in 1945. There were 185,030 occupied dwellings reported on 172,800 farms. Running water in the dwelling was reported on 55,035 farms, radio on 156,442, and telephone on 86,107; 140,389 farms had an electric distribution line within one-fourth mile. Total reported value of implements and machinery was $282,889,279. The value of implements and machinery exceeded $1,000 per farm on 105,755 farms, with 43,858 farms reporting values of $2,500 or more; 56,523 farms reported 61,010 motor tractors, and 152,708 farms reported 181,107 automobiles. In 1946 cash receipts from farm marketings were $934,765,000. Dairy products have been the most important single source of cash receipts from farming in Wisconsin since 1924, the only period for which statistical data are available. In recent years cash receipts from farm marketings of dairy products have been at least one-half of the total cash receipts. Hogs, cattle, and poultry, while less important than dairy products, produce more cash receipts than all the crops sold. Combined receipts from livestock and products in recent years have been 85 to 90 percent of cash receipts from marketings for the State. Among the cash crops, truck crops, tobacco, feed grains, and potatoes have been most important in recent years. Most of the crops produced in the State are used for the production of livestock and livestock products. The leading crops in terms of acreage are hay, oats, and corn, all of which are primarily feed crops. The 1945 census of agriculture reports over 10,500,000 acres of farm land in pastures. The number of cattle on farms in Wisconsin January 1 increased from 642,000 in 1867 to 3,962,000 for 1947, or more than 500 percent. In the earlier years, Wisconsin ranked thirteenth among the States in number of cattle on farms, with only about 2 percent of the United States total. In 1947 Wisconsin was the third, with only Texas and Iowa having more cattle on farms. Wisconsin leads all the States in the number of milk cows on farms. On January 1, 1947, Wisconsin had 2,585,000, almost 10 percent of all cows and heifers kept for milk and more than half again as many as Minnesota, the second-ranking State. Wisconsin was second only to Texas in the number of calves born and marketed in 1946. As might be expected from the number of milk cows on farms, Wisconsin leads all the other States in milk production on farms. In 1946 Wisconsin dairy cows produced 13 percent of all the milk produced on United States farms. Milk production in Wisconsin exceeded that of Minnesota, the second-ranking State, by about 80 percent. Wisconsin's production exceeded that of all the States in the south Atlantic and western regions and was nearly equal to that of the south central region. In milk production per cow, Wisconsin ranked third in 1946, with California first and New Jersey second. Wisconsin leads all the States in the production of cheese. In 1946 Wisconsin produced 525,165,000 pounds, a little less than half of the United States total. This was more than six times the production in Illinois, the second highest State. Since Wisconsin farmers market a high proportion of their milk, Wisconsin ranks third in the production of creamery butter. Iowa and Minnesota both produce substantially more creamery butter. Wisconsin leads all other States in the production of bulk-sweetened condensed milk, with 23 percent of the United States total; plain condensed milk, with 27 percent of the United States total; evaporated milk, with 27 percent of the United States total; and dry whole milk, with 40 percent of the United States total. Wisconsin ranks second to Minnesota in production of nonfat dry milk solids for human. food, with 29 percent of the United States total. Wisconsin ranked eighth in farm production of eggs and in the number of hens and pullets on farms January 1 in 1946. Turning to crops, Wisconsin was second only to California in value of commercial truck crops for processing in 1947 and accounted for about 10 percent of the United States total. Wisconsin produced 144,010 tons of green peas for processing, more than double the production in Washington, the second State, and about one-third of United States production. Wisconsin was also important in the commercial production of cucumbers for pickles, ranking second to Michigan and accounting for nearly one-fifth of the United States crop. Wisconsin was the leading State in commercial production of sweet corn for processing in 1947, and accounted for about one-fifth of the total. In commercial production of cabbage for sauerkraut, Wisconsin was second only to New York and accounted for over one-fourth of the total. Wisconsin surpassed New York in commercial production of beets for processing and produced 34,400 tons, only slightly less than half the United States total. In commercial production of snap and green lima beans for processing, Wisconsin ranked fourth. Wisconsin was the twelfth-ranking State in harvested acreage of 52 principal crops in 1947, seventh in production of corn, third in production of oats, sixth in production of rye, first in production of hay, second in production of alfalfa hay, second in production of clover and timothy hay, fourth in production of red-clover seed, and third in production of sour cherries. |