08/14/06 Highs & lows in Wash crop report

Washington Ag August 14, 2006 The first apple production forecast for the 2006 crop year from the Agricultural Statistics Service puts Washington's crop, which accounts for 58 percent of total U.S. apple production, at 5.6 billion pounds, down three percent from last year and nine percent below 2004. Hail affected orchards in north central Washington and the Tri-Cities areas. Washington's wine grape production is forecast at a record high 120-thousand tons, nine percent above last year while the state's juice grape crop at 230-thousand tons is 25 percent below 2005's bumper crop. Alfalfa production in Washington this year is forecast to be down 12 percent from 2005 at just over two million tons. That would be the lowest since 1989. Washington's winter wheat crop is pegged at 118.8 million bushels down one percent from 2005. The state's spring wheat crop at 22.8 million bushels is up 22 percent from last year on increased acreage and better yields. Washington doesn't produce the volume of corn the Midwest states do but the state's corn yield is the highest in the nation at 210 bushels an acre. I'm Bob Hoff.