Good start lets NY crops ward off drought in 2012

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Credit USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says rain in late summer and early fall of 2012 helped save crops in most of the state.

The USDA says production of grain corn, soybeans, wheat and oat crops all increased from the previous year. Soybeans were estimated at a record high 14.4 million bushels, 20 percent more than was harvested in 2011.

Barley and dry hay production fell in 2012 compared to 2011 while alfalfa hay production rose.