*PEAT 
731 
 
Table 6.—U.S. peat production and producers' yearend stocks in
1985,
by kind 
Kh~d 
.. 
Active 
operations 
Production 
(short tons) 
Percent o( 
production 
' ±~ 
~ 
Sphagnummoss                                  
Hypnummoes                                   
Reed-sedge                                      
Humus                                        
Other                                         
 
Total                                       
5 
6 
55 
29 
4 
15,840 
28,277 
608,113 
184,123 
2,610 
1.9 
3.4 
72.5 
21.9 
.3 
10,679 
10,621 
553,167 
35,545 
28,300 
 
99 
838,963 
100.0 
628,312 
 
PRICES AND SPECIFICATIONS 
 
 The average reported price per ton for all slightly, and that for packaged
peat increastypes of peat, f.o.b. plant, increased slightly. ed somewhat.
The price per ton of imported The unit price for bulk peat decreased sphagnum
peat increased a small amount. 
Table 7.—Prices' for peat in 1985 
(Dollars per unit) 
 
Sphag- Hypnum. Humus 
Other 
Awerage 
 
Domestic: 
 
 
 
Bulk: 
 
 
 
Pershortton 20.48 36.90 24.20 13.73 
13.64 
20.29 
 
 Percubicyard 8.93 12.81 11.63 8.26 Packaged or baled: Pershortton~ 77.78
41.91 26.45 22.13 Percubicyard 10.50 15.05 12.86 14.66 Average: Pershortton
56.77 41.36 25.63 15.52 
6.24 
 
 
~ 
 
13.64 
10.45 
 
28.49 
12.83 
 
21.81 
 
 Percubicyard  10.26 14.79 12.41 9.53 
Imported,total,pershortton2 121.18 XX XX XX 
6.24 
XX 
1L84 
121.18 
 
XX Not applicable. 
' Prices are f.o.b. plant. 
2Average customs price. 
 
 
 
Table 8..—Average density of domestic peat sold in 1985 
 
 
 
(Pounds per cubic yard) 
 
 
 
Sphag- H Reednum 
Humus 
Other 
 
Bulk 873 694 961Packaged 270 718 972Bulkandpackaged $62 715 968 
1.203 
1,325 
1.227 
916 
916 
 
FOREIGN TRADE 
 
 Peat imports for domestic consumption decreased slightly in quantity and
increased slightly in value. More than 99% of the imports was sphagnum moss
peat from Canada. Canadian sphagnum moss peat was in demand because of consumer
loyalty to brand and because in most areas domestic sphagnum moss peat had
not entered the U.S. retail market. Almost 42% of the 
 
imported peat entered the United States through customs districts in New
York. Large quantities also entered through customs districts in Maine, Michigan,
Montana, North Dakota, Vermont, and Washington. Minor quantities of peat
were hnported from the Federal Republic of Germany, Mexico, and the Netherlands.