USDA SAYS FARM PRODUCTION SPENDING UP IN 2004

Maybe a surprise to some

USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently reported farmers and ranchers spent $210.7 billion on production inputs during 2004, 5.1% more than in 2003. Average expenditure per U.S. farm was $99,983, compared with $94,542 in 2003. The largest contributing factors to the 2004 increase included tractors and farm machinery, up 24.3%; fuels, up 19.4%; fertilizer, up 14%; feed, up 9.1%, and labor, up 5.5%.