Crop Insurance Today Second Quarter 2020 - 9

less than one percent based largely on lower
yields and a combination of decreased acreage
and lower yields, respectively.
DRY BEANS AND LENTILS
The dry edible bean crop declined to 20.81
million hundredweight in 2019, down almost 17
percent from last year's 24.96 million hundredweight.2 The decline can be attributed to lower
yields as planted acres increased to 1.29 million
acres, up over four percent from the previous
year with notable increases in North Dakota and
Minnesota. The nation's lentil crop experienced an
even worse season, with production expected to
be down 36 percent from 2018, the previous lowest level of production, and a 5.39 million hundredweight decrease since 2015. The falloff in production was linked to a decrease in planted and
harvested acreage of 38 percent and 40 percent
respectively. The dry edible pea crop fared better,
with production up 37 percent from 2018. Greater
planted and harvested acreage combined with record high yields contributed to the increase. Drypea production may be trending upward in the
future as its role in plant-based meat substitutes
and use as a soybean-protein substitute.
HAY
Unlike many crops, U.S. dry hay production
benefited from increased rainfall levels, with
production increasing by four percent from
2018 to 128.9 million tons. This reversed two
years of decline, which was attributed to modest
yield increases offsetting a one percent decline
in harvested acres to 52.4 million in 2019. The
nation's alfalfa crop supported the overall increase with an anticipated four percent increase
in production to 54.9 million tons. The increase
over the previous year was linked to increases
in harvested acres, up one percent to 16.7 million acres and a slight increase in average yield
at an estimated 3.28 tons, 0.11 tons above the
2018 level. Other hay production was also up
by four percent on a similar yield increase, estimated to be 2.07 tons per acre on 35.7 million
acres, down two percent from 2018. Record
high yields for alfalfa production were recorded in Idaho and Nevada and for other hay production in California, Kansas, Maine, Missouri,
Montana, Nevada, and Utah.
FRESH PRODUCE AND VEGETABLES
The nation's 2019 production of principle fresh
market and processing vegetable production and
melons were estimated to be three percent below

2018, totaling 739 million hundredweight. The decline in production resulted from a combination
of early season weather issues that contributed to
reduced yields, along with a slight reduction in
harvested acres, down one percent from 2018 at
2.38 million acres. Vegetable production continues to be dominated by a relatively small group of
products. The leaders in harvested acres are once
again sweet corn, tomatoes, and snap beans, while
50 percent of total production is from the combined harvest of tomatoes, onions, and sweet corn.
Early season wet and cool conditions supported increased prices, which later declined as conditions improved by March. There were also early
summer hot temperatures that negatively affected
the head lettuce crop in coastal areas of California,
providing another uptick in prices. In addition,
hail damage to the Central Valley of California tomato crop also supported prices. Combined, these
events contributed to the value of production increasing 12 percent increase in 2019, ending the
year at $14.2 billion. Major contributors to the crop
value were head lettuce, tomatoes, and onions,
which represent a combined 32 percent of the total
vegetable and melon production value. Eighty percent of the total value of production comes from
crops grown in California (56 percent), Arizona
(15 percent), and Florida (nine percent).
CITRUS
The nation's citrus fruit production increased
in 2019 following historically low production
in 2018, which was primarily caused by Hurricane Irma losses in Florida. Not surprisingly,
Florida led the way with a 56 percent increase
in production compared to the previous year,
reaching 3.5 million tons, near pre-hurricane
levels. Increased production in the other citrus

producing states increased total U.S. citrus fruit
production to 7.9 million tons, up 31 percent
from 2018 and the highest level in three years.
However, the rebound in citrus production in
2019 fails to stem the near decadelong decline
in citrus production. Increased production
brought downward pressure on prices for growers. Orange, lemon and grapefruit production
value declined by seven, four, and one percent,
respectively. The total value of production for
the nation's citrus crop was up by one percent
from the previous year, to $3.35 billion as a 31
percent increase in the value of tangerine and
mandarin production offset declines for other
categories. California continues to be the top
U.S. citrus fruit producer, accounting for 51
percent of the total, followed by Florida with
44 percent. Texas and Arizona account for the
remaining five percent. Texas plays a major role
in grapefruit production accounting for more
than 44 percent of the total U.S. production.
Arizona produces approximately six percent of
the nation's lemons.
[Information sources for this section include
USDA NASS, Quick Stats available at https://
quickstats.nass.usda.gov/ and the following:
Crop Production 2019 Summary, January 2020;
USDA, ERS, Wheat Yearbook, March 2020; Vegetables 2019 Summary, March 2109; Citrus Fruits
2019 Summary, August,2019; USDA, ERS, Fruit
and Tree Nuts Outlook, FTS-360]

Commodity Market
Developments and the
Agricultural Economy

Globally, combined grain and oilseed production and consumption remained in relative

As of 2019 NASS no longer reports chickpea production as part of the dry edible bean crop; however, it does now provide dry bean planted area by State.
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Crop Insurance Today Second Quarter 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Crop Insurance Today Second Quarter 2020