07/14/08 Spud acres down; poor spring wheat yields

Washington Ag July 14, 2008 Washington potato growers planted fewer acres of potatoes this year. In fact, Linda Simpson of the Washington Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service says planted acres in the state are below the level of the past two years. Simpson: "Washington growers planted an estimated 155-thousand acres of potatoes in 2008, 10-thousand acres less than in 2007 and one-thousand acres less than 2006. The entire 2008 crop is expected to be harvested." Fall potato acreage in Idaho is down 14 percent this year. Nationally there was an eight percent decline. Ag Statistics put out its first estimate of the spring wheat crop and Simpson says the outlook for yields in Washington are down compared to last year and are the lowest in a long time. Simpson: "A cool, wet spring followed by high temperatures resulted in a reduction in average yields from 46 bushels per acre to 37 bushels. This is the lowest average yield since 1981." More acres still means an 11 percent larger spring wheat crop in Washington. Added to a winter wheat crop that is forecast to be one percent more than 2007, Washington's total 2008 wheat production is pegged at 132.5 million bushels based on July 1st conditions. Washington's barley crop this year is forecast to drop 21 percent. I'm Bob Hoff.