Do field crops grow well in Chester County? Field Crops in Chester County Agriculture is the number one industry in Chester County and field crops play an important role in that equation. General Facts Our farmers grow many things, but typically those growing field crops produce corn, soybeans, wheat, hay and a variety of forage crops. (Hay is made from dried alfalfa and grass/clover. Forage crops include corn, alfalfa and grass/clover but they are harvested while still green and fed to livestock.) Yes! Chester County has some of the best non irrigated farmland in the country. The combination of soils, about 45 percent is classified as prime farmland, and the average rainfall of 46 inches annually creates an excellent environment for crop production. Although some farmers grow corn, soybeans and wheat for human consumption, most of these crops are grown for grain and forage and is used for animal feed. There are more acres of land used to grow corn than any other crop, followed by hay, then soybeans and wheat. “ Chester County has some of the best non irrigated farmland in the country. ” A gricultural Info Sheet What field crops do I see around the county? Chester County Agricultural Development Council • www.chesco.org/agdev
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8/9/2019 Ag Info Sheet - Field Crops In Chester County
Field Crops in Chester CountyAgriculture is the number one industry in Chester County and field cropsplay an important role in that equation.
General Facts
Our farmers grow manythings, but typically thosegrowing field crops producecorn, soybeans, wheat, hayand a variety of forage crops.(Hay is made from driedalfalfa and grass/clover. Foragecrops include corn, alfalfaand grass/clover but they areharvested while still greenand fed to livestock.)
Yes! Chester County hassome of the best non irrigatedfarmland in the country.The combination of soils,about 45 percent is classifiedas prime farmland, and theaverage rainfall of 46 inchesannually creates an excellentenvironment for cropproduction.
Although some farmers growcorn, soybeans and wheat forhuman consumption, most
of these crops are grown forgrain and forage and is usedfor animal feed.
There are more acres of landused to grow corn than anyother crop, followed by hay,then soybeans and wheat.
“Chester County
has some of the best
non irrigated farmland
in the country.”
AgriculturalInfo Sheet
What field crops do I see around the county?
Chester County Agricultural Development Council • www.chesco.org/agdev
Approximately 80 percentof our farms (there are 1733farms in the county) growcrops, although many of theseoperations are involved inother agricultural productionas well.
Field crop yields have been increasing steadily mostly due togenetics but also due to improved agronomic practices; as a resultfarmers are able to produce more from the same area of land. Thismeans that field crops are still significant to the industry and thecounty’s economy even though our total farmland acres havedecreased.
Crops are grown on 70percent of Chester County’s166,900 farmland acres.These crops occupyapproximately 117,000 acres,which represents 24 percentof the total land area of thecounty (total acres of ChesterCounty = 485,600).
Amount of land in field crops
Many Chester County
farmers use a conservationpractice called “ no-tillfarming ” where the soil isnot disturbed by a plow ortillage. Over 60 percent ofthe field crops produced inChester County are grownusing no-till methods.
Virtually all crop farmers know that crop rotation , plantingdissimilar crops in the same field in successive seasons, maximizesbenefits for the soil, improves weed and pest control and enhancescrop productivity.
Many farmers in Chester County rotate growing corn with soybeanssince corn requires a lot of nitrogen and soybeans help replenishsome of this critical nutrient back into the soil.
Many Chester County
farmers plant a cover crop over the winter, such aswinter wheat or rye, as soonas the corn or soybeans areharvested in late summer andearly fall. The plant coverprovides protection and soreduces loss of soil from rainand wind.
Conservation
What conservation practicesdo farmers in Chester Countyemploy?Most farmers use conservationpractices to protect soil health,prevent weed development, stabilizesoil structure, maximize nutrientand moisture retention, and todecrease erosion.
Chester County Agricultural Development Council • www.chesco.org/agdev
Our sizable equine industryalso requires a significantamount of high quality hay,an estimated 50,000 acres, ashay makes up 50-100 percentof a horse’s diet. Therefore,this industry also imports hayfrom surrounding countiesand states.
The diversity of ouragricultural industry is whathelps to keep it strong;different sectors rely uponeach other for materials andtheir own success.
Agricultural Relationships
To make mushroom compost,an essential element inmushroom production ,Chester County mushroomfarmers (who produce47 percent of the U.S.mushroom production),need approximately 130,000tons of hay annually. It takesabout 40,000 acres of land toproduce that amount of hay,therefore while mushroomgrowers get some of theirhay within the county, theymust also import hay fromsurrounding counties andstates.
Virtually all of our dairy and livestock farmers growtheir own forage and grainfrom corn to feed their herdsbecause it is much moreeconomical then purchasingit, however, this requires thatthey have access to crop land.
Custom farmers help keeplarge amounts of land inagricultural production,and without them, it wouldbe difficult to maintain thequantity of field crops thatare the underpinnings of ouragricultural industry.
Custom farming is an important aspect to crop farming in ChesterCounty because it helps bridge the gap between farmers who needadditional lands for crop production and landowners who need helpwith land management (one example of this would be land trusts orother such entities that own agricultural land but are not equippedto manage it). Each arrangement is unique and developed to best suitthe needs of the landowner, farmer, and market conditions.
The need for custom farming
What are field crops used for?
A significant percentage ofChester County crops areused as ingredients in animalfeed for major poultry andlivestock producers. Inaddition, our wheat is used inprocessed food products suchas pretzels, cereal bars, candybars and other confections.
Chester County Agricultural Development Council • www.chesco.org/agdev
