09/30/08 Wheat harvest, a mixed report

Idaho farmers are still harvesting grain, their wheat and barley crops. Idaho Grain Producers executive director Travis Jones says it's a mixed report this year. JONES "There is really good production its seems like coming from the irrigated parts of our state and maybe parts of northern, very northern region Idaho but I know that a lot of the dry land guys through the north central area of Idaho into the eastern half, especially southeast half especially of Idaho they're having some struggles with yields there." Farmers are getting good returns on their grain crops with prices higher now than the ten year average. Jones says it all based on global markets but he thinks this year there is more volatility in the commodity markets. JONES "You know Argentina and Australia are down on production. A pretty good crop coming out of Russia, the EU, the Ukraine regions. There's some pressure, some downward pressure on those prices." Some growers in the higher elevations of southeastern Idaho are just starting to harvest and many growers say they were a week, sometimes two behind their normal harvest dates. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott