05/10/06 USDA to buy asparagus

Washington Ag May 10, 2006 Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced Tuesday that USDA plans to purchase up to two million pounds of canned and two million pounds of frozen asparagus for child nutrition and other domestic food assistance programs. Allen Schreiber, director of the Washington Asparagus Commission, says the Michigan asparagus industry had spear headed the request for the USDA purchase with support from Washington's industry. He says while most of the USDA purchase is expected to be canned in Michigan, Washington growers will benefit. Schreiber: "Supplies are a little tight in Michigan and Michigan is expecting to buy significant amounts of Washington asparagus to fill this order. So, this is a good thing for Washington asparagus. Our supplies this year are a little higher than normal. There is a little surplus. So this will help us ameliorate the effects of the Seneca plant closure." Seneca, the last asparagus canning plant in Washington, shut down after last year's harvest. Schreiber says asparagus prices were high early in the season this year but have since fallen, so the USDA purchase will come at a good time. He estimates the asparagus harvest in Washington at about 50 percent complete. I'm Bob Hoff.