Barley Harvest Unchanged for 2007

WASHINGTON - Jan 11/08 - SNS -- Barley production is estimated at 212 million bushels, unchanged from the Small Grains 2007 Summary but up 18% from last year, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) final crop report for 2007.

Average yield per acre, at 60.4 bushels, is 0.7 bushel below 2006. The area harvested for grain is estimated at 3.51 million acres, 19% above a year ago. Harvested acreage is up in the top four barley-producing States from the previous season. Acreage harvested is up 40,000 in Idaho, 100,000 in Montana, 395,000 in North Dakota, and 35,000 in Washington resulting in higher production that last year.

Production is down from last year throughout the Great Basin, Ohio Valley, and most of the Mid-Atlantic States. Lower yields due to low levels of precipitation during the growing season and lower acreage harvested contributed to the decrease in these areas. However, production levels increased from last year across nearly the entire northern tier of the country, from the Pacific to Maine, as well as in Arizona, Colorado, and Maryland.

Planting was delayed early in the season in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Washington, three major producing States, causing emergence to lag behind normal through the first week of May. However, progress accelerated to well ahead of normal later in the Spring and into early Summer. Heading advanced well ahead of normal for most of the season. The condition of the crop was rated between 70 and 80% good and excellent through most of the season but began to decline just before harvest started. Beginning harvest slightly ahead of schedule, producers were able to continue harvesting the crop well ahead of the normal pace and finish by early September.

Subscribers can read the full text of the article by Clicking here