10/24/05 Washington ag production sets record

10/24/05 Washington ag production sets record

Washington Ag October 24, 2005 The farmgate value of agricultural commodities grown in Washington in 2004 set a record high. Messer: "For 2004 Washington had a total value of production at almost six-billion dollars. Came in at 5.94 billion. And that's a record since about 1995. That's Chris Messer who heads up the Washington State Agricultural Statistics Service which reported the data. Apples continued to be the top valued commodity in Washington with production last year of 962 million dollars. Milk ranked second with production valued at 861 million dollars, also a record high. Wheat was third at 524 million. Strong cattle prices and poor spud prices had cattle slipping by potatoes into fourth place with a production value of 476 million dollars followed by potatoes at 460 million. Valoria Loveland, director of the state Department of Agriculture says that of the top 40 commodities in Washington, 11 of them rank number one in the nation in production. She says Washington's ag products are known throughout the world not only for quantity, but also for their quality. I'm Bob Hoff.
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