04/02/08 What Washington farmers plan to plant

Washington Ag April 2, 2008 Recent wintry weather has caused some delays in spring field work but the results are in on what Washington farmers plan to plant this spring. Koong: "Farmers do intend on planting for 2008 more winter wheat and spring wheat than last year and most of the other crops in this report showed decreases from last year." That is Dennis Koong, deputy director of the Washington Bureau of the Agricultural Statistics Service summarizing the Planting Intentions Report issued this week. With strong prices for so many commodities there was keen competition for acreage among crops but as Koong stated wheat was the winner in Washington with all wheat acreage expected to be up eight percent. The state's farmers sowed two percent more winter wheat last fall and intend to increase spring wheat seedings by 22 percent over last year. Losing acreage in Washington farmers' plans this year from last are barley, down three percent, corn down 13 percent, hay down five, chickpeas down 28 percent, lentils down 12 and dry peas off three percent. Weather and market conditions can change planting intentions. What producers actually plant will be reported in June. Potato acreage won't be reported until July. I'm Bob Hoff.