08/14/07 A record Washington corn crop forecast

Washington Ag August 14, 2007 Washington farmers are contributing a small portion to what is forecast to be a record U.S. corn crop this year of 13.1 billion bushels with a record of their own. Like their counterparts across the nation, Washington producers increased their planted acreage this year in response to high prices, which have been due in part to corn demand for ethanol. Joe Ross with the Washington Bureau of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, says that increased acreage is forecast to lead to a record corn crop in Washington too. Ross: "Production is forecast at 27.3 million bushels and our average yield per acre is 210 bushels per acre. This production would surpass our previous high record production of 24 million bushels produced in 1982. And our yield is well above the U.S. average of 152.8 bushels an acre. I don't believe there is any other state that surpasses the 200 bushel mark." Meanwhile, development of Washington's corn crop is running behind last year and the five year average for now. Only four percent of the crop is dented compared to the five year average of 23 percent. Washington's 2007 all wheat production is forecast at 135.5 million bushels, down from last year's 140 million. I'm Bob Hoff.