Texas milk production declines

By DAVY MOSELEY | East Texas Edition

October 25, 2001 -- The general trend for milk production in Texas in August was down 12.13 percent from August 2000, according to the latest Milk Market Administrator Report for the Southwest marketing area.

A total of 918 producers accounted for 365.4 million pounds of milk in August, down 45.5 million pounds, mirroring the loss of 163 producers in the state.

Highlighting the top 10 milk-producing Texas counties, most showed producer and/or production losses since last year and from August 1999.

Erath County, the undisputed king of the hill in Texas milk production, shouldered heavy losses over the course of the year. The loss of 12 producers translated into a production decrease of 11.73 percent.

First runner up Hopkins County, with 176 producers, showed the slightest production loss among the top 10 at 6.01 percent - despite the loss of 28 milk producers. At 36.3 million pounds, Hopkins County is only 1.2 million pounds of milk ahead of third place Comanche County.

Continuing the downward trend, Comanche County dropped 12.41 percent in milk production, and lost seven producers from August 2000 when the county was in the number two spot.

El Paso County showed a production increase of 1.77 percent for August, despite the loss of one producer. El Paso was one of two counties among the top 10 who showed production gains since August 2000.

In at number five, Lamb County boasts the highest production gains over August 2000 at 27.94 percent. Aided by the addition of one producer, the county now has four operations. Lamb County is one of the few top 10 milk-producing counties that consistently shows production increases.

In a tough position to follow, Archer County's 53 producers bore the second greatest production loss among the top 10 list. The 17.76 percent loss was due in part to the loss of five operations.

Hamilton County, hanging on to the number seven position, lost one producer since August 2000, and show a production loss of 14.69 percent.

Wood County's 46 producers, at 9.7 million pounds of milk, dropped 16.53 percent in production, and lost 11 milk producers.

Tom Green County's consistent nine producers were pelted by a 14 percent drop in production to 8.3 million pounds.

In at number 10, and shouldering the greatest loss among the top 10 list, is Johnson County. Down from 12 million pounds of milk in August 2000, to 8.2 million pounds in August, Johnson County felt the loss of 11 producers which caused the county to be demoted from position eight last year to number 10 in August.

The Milk Market Administrator's Report is available online at http://members.aol.com/fmmo1126/.