Pea virus update; better milk prices expected in 2010
Pea virus update; better milk prices seen for 2010. I’m Bob Hoff. Washington Ag Today is next. Washington Ag Today July 21, 2009 The Aphid Tracker system run by the University of Idaho is reporting virus disease symptoms, sometimes severe and prevalent, are now being seen in peas and garbanzo beans in the southern part of the Palouse. The prevalence and severity are reported to be high enough in some fields to potentially cause yield losses. Washington dairy producers who can survive to next year may see better milk prices. That is the latest outlook from the USDA. The department’s Outlook Board Chairman Jerry Bange has the numbers. Bange: “We are looking at a stronger price in 2010, albeit somewhat lower than we looked at last month. We are thinking that the all-milk price in 2010 will hit around 15.35. That is an increase of nearly 30% from the $12 price we anticipate for all-milk in 2009. Give the fact that the population is still growing and given the fact that milk production is expected to be a little bit less, that and hopefully some demand recovery by the time we get to 2010 with regard to the economic conditions, that gives us prospects for the nearly 30% increase in the all milk price.” The USDA just reported that milk production in Washington during June was down 1.2% from June of 2008. Milk production per cow was the same as last June but at 244-thousand head, there were three-thousand fewer dairy cows in the state than a year ago. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network. ? ?
