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WISCONSIN CROP AND LIVESTOCK REPORTER
quarter milk production is 4 percent
greater than the first quarter produc-
tion for 1961.
Wisconsin's share of United States
milk production, for March 1962 was
15.3 percent compared with 15 per-
cent in 1961. The state has averaged
just under 15 percent of total United
States milk production for the 10-year
period of 1951-60.
United States milk production for
March was 11,101,000,000 pounds or
2 percent above March 1961. This is
also 7 percent above the 10-year
average for the month. Total United
States milk production for the first
quarter of 1962 is 2 percent above the
same period in 1961.
Wisconsin milk production for the
first 3 months of 1962 is running at
an annual rate of about 18% billion
pounds. Continuation of this trend de-
pends on a number of factors, among
which favorable milk-feed and milk-
beef cattle price ratios are most sig-
nificant. For the nation these ratios
have been running about the same as
last year.
March Egg Production
Is Highest in Two Years
Egg production in Wisconsin in
March climbed to the highest for any
month since March 1960. The produc-
tion amounted to 181,000,000 eggs and
was 13 percent above the February
output and 2 percent more than a year
ago.
This two-year high egg output was
due to a record production per 100
layers for the month which more than
offset the second smallest number of
layers on state farms in March in 27
years. The average production per 100
layers was 1,941 eggs in March top-
ping by 2 percent the previous high
for the month set last year. There
were 9,318,000 layers on state farms
in March-1 percent more than in
March 1961, but 16 percent less than
the 1956-60 annual average.
State farmers received an average
of 30 cents a dozen for eggs in March.
Except for March 1957, this is the
lowest price for the month since 1950.
Farm flocks in the nation laid 5,728
million eggs in March-1 percent more
than a year ago, but 1 percent less
than the 5-year average. The number
of layers on farms in the country was
2 percent above a year ago, but 3 per-
cent below the 1956-60 annual aver-
age. Egg production per 100 layers
was 1 percent below March 1961, but
3 percent above the 5-year average.
Decline in Farm Product
Price Level Continues
The index of prices received by
Wisconsin farmers at 249 percent of
the 1910-14 base period continued be-
low the year ago level. This down-
ward movement of the index began in
October of 1961. A substantial part of
the eleven point decline in the index
for this period was due to lower milk
prices paid to farmers.
Accompanying the decline in the in-
dex of prices received was an increase
of three points in the index of prices
paid by farmers from October 1961 to
March 1962. This resulted in a 4 per-
cent drop in the Wisconsin index of
farm purchasing power (ratio of
prices received to prices paid) for this
period.
Higher prices to Wisconsin farmers
for beef cattle and calves more than
offset lower lamb and hog prices. This
raised the March meat animal price
index 2 percent above February.
Wisconsin farmers received an aver-
age of $15.70 per hundredweight for
hogs during March. This was 10 cents
below February and $1.10 under
March last year. The March pig crop
report indicates an improved outlook
for hog prices this summer and fall.
Last December producers intentions
indicated a large 1962 spring pig
crop. Producers, however, have modi-
fied their plans and the March report
shows a smaller increase than was
expected at that time.
Farm Working Force in State
Increases During March
The number of workers employed on
Wisconsin farms in March increased
seasonally as spring work approached.
The state's total farm working force
for the month is estimated at 255,000
persons-5 percent above February
and 9 percent more than in January.
Farm operators and other family
Farm Workers and Wages
Wisconsin and United States
Item
Farm workers'
Hired
Family    -
Total -     ==
Wage rates
By month
With house  -
With board & room
By day
With board & room
No board & room
By hour
No board & room
Wisconsin    United States
196Z] 1961     1962   1961
March (000)
22     25   1,233   1,275
233    239   4,567  4,69S
255    264   5,800  5,970
April I (dollars)
203 .00
152. 00
7. 10
9. 00
1.10
199.00
146.00
6.80
8.80
1.07
192.00
150.00
6.20
6.70
1.07
188.00
148.00
'Persons employed during the last full calendar week
ending at least one day before end of month.
workers numbered 233,000 persons
and hired help 22,000 in March.
The state's total farm employment
in March, however, was 3 percent be-
low a year ago and 11 percent under
the 1956-60 average for the month.
Since shortly after World War II
there has been a gradual decline in
the number of persons working on
farms in the state.
While holding close to January,
wages paid hired help by Wisconsin
farmers averaged the highest on rec-
ord for April 1. The index of farm
wage rates is 3 percent above April
last year. Reports from farmers indi-
cate the rise was consistent among
monthly, daily and hourly wage rates.
On April 1, state farmers paid hired
help an average of $203 a month with
house or $152 per month with room
and board, while day rates were $7.10
with room and board and $9 without.
The average hourly wage was $1.10
without room and board.
The nation's farm working force at
5,800,000 persons in March increased
13 percent from February, but was 3
percent below a year earlier. Farm
wage rates in the nation on April 1
were also the highest on record, aver-
aging 3 percent above a year earlier.
Charles W. Le Grande
Joins Wisconsin Staff
Charles W. Le Grande, agricultural
statistician, assumed his new duties
with the Wisconsin Crop Reporting
Service on April 1. In his new assign-
ment he will work primarily in pre-
paring livestock estimates.
Mr. Le Grande comes to Wisconsin
from the Statistical Reporting Serv-
ice in Washington, D.C., where he
served 6 years in dairy statistics
working numbers of milk cows, milk
production, disposition, and income
from milk. Prior to his assignment in
Washington, D.C., he served 5 years
in the Illinois Cooperative Crop Re-
porting Service estimating crops, live-
stock, and prices, and 2 years in the
Chicago Dairy Statistics office of the
Statistical Reporting Service where
he worked on production of manufac-
tured dairy products.
In addition to his experience in the
crop reporting service, he graduated
from the College of Agriculture in the
University of Missouri, and majored
in rural sociology and economics. Dur-
ing World War II he served 4 years
in the United States Army, and pres-
ently is in the Reserves. Charles, his
wife, and their 4 children will live in
Madison.
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April 1962
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