07/13/05 Spud acres down

07/13/05 Spud acres down

Washington Ag July 13, 2005 The Washington Agricultural Statistics Service says farmers in the state planted 154-thousand acres of potatoes this year. That is down four percent from last year's 160-thousand acres. Total U.S. fall potato acreage is down seven percent from last year and 12 percent below two years ago. It will be the lowest U.S. potato planted and harvest acreage since 1957. The Statistics Service says the reduction is due in part to economic pressures, industry acreage reduction programs and inclement weather at planting. Spring wheat acres in Washington are down this year and in its first surveyed estimate of production the Statistics Service says so are spring wheat yields. They are pegged at 45 bushels an acre compared to 50 bushels in 2004. In a recent interview, Tom Mick CEO of the Washington Wheat Commission explained how dry conditions earlier impacted the spring wheat. Mick: "With the drouth conditions, farmers were counting on a short crop so they didn't seed as heavily as normally or use as much fertilizer because they were expecting a poor crop. Then the rains came and surprised them. So that is going to contribute to a lower yield potential." Still, the combined winter and spring wheat production in Washington will be above 2004 totaling 147.2 million bushels. I'm Bob Hoff.
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