1-16 IAN Idaho 2012

 The year 2012 was phenomenal for Idaho agriculture, according to a report by University of Idaho College of Agricultural and Life Sciences economists. Milk again rose to the top of Idaho agriculture’s money leaders, generating $2.4 billion. Idaho ranks third nationally in milk production, producing more than 1 billion pounds of milk monthly. The 2 percent increase in production in 2012 offset a 2 percent drop in prices to keep milk receipts essentially level.

Cattle and calf sales were strong, generating $1.7 billion. That total was some $350 million or 25 percent higher than in 2011. Livestock receipts overall rose 8 percent to $4.3 billion and represented slightly more than half, 56 percent, of the state’s cash receipts. Crops generated $3.4 billion, a 2 percent increase.

Idaho’s top five crops included:

• Potatoes, Idaho’s signature crop, generated $957 million, a 4 percent increase.
• Barley generated $306 million, a 32 percent increase based on a bigger harvest and strong prices.

 • Wheat generated $796 million, a 4 percent increase. Garth Taylor, economist in the college’s department of agricultural economics and rural sociology at MoscowCould not be more enthusiastic:  “Dave, his 3rd straight year of agricultural growth. It is phenomenal.”