USDA releases agricultural statistics for Northwest Region
Corn grows in a field in Central Washington. Corn production is forecast to be up 18% over last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
File photo
OLYMPIA —The United States Department of Agriculture’s Northwest Regional Field Office released agricultural statistics for canola, corn for grain, dry edible beans, sugar beets, alfalfa hay and all other hay for Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Alaska Thursday.
According to the statistics, Washington canola production is forecast at 266 million pounds, up 18% from last year. Harvested area, at 166,000 acres, is up 34,000 acres from 2022. Yield is expected to be 1,600 pounds per acre, down 100 pounds from 2022.
Washington corn for grain production is forecast at 20.7 million bushels, up 18% from last year. The harvested area, at 90,000 acres, is up 10,000 acres from 2022. Yield is expected to be 230 bushels per acre, up 10.0 bushels from the previous year.
Dry bean production in Washington is forecast at 785,000 per hundredweight, up 12% from last year. The harvested area, at 29,500 acres, is up 2,800 acres from 2022. Yield is expected to be 26.6 hundredweight per acre, up 0.4 hundredweight from 2022.
The statistics stated that Washington sugar beet production is forecast at 90,000 tons, up 2% from last year. The harvested area, at 2,000 acres, is unchanged from 2022. Yield is expected to be 44.8 tons per acre, up 0.7 tons from 2022.
Washington alfalfa hay production is forecast at 1.55 million tons, down 17% from last year. Harvested area, at 360,000 acres, is unchanged from 2022. Yield is expected to be 4.3 tons per acre, down 0.9 tons from the previous year.
Lastly, other hay production in Washington is forecast at 825,000 tons, down 8% from last year, according to the statistics. The harvested area, at 330,000 acres, is up 40,000 acres from 2022. Yield is expected to be 2.5 tons per acre, down 0.6 tons from the previous year.