USA, Washington: Barley production is estimated at 279 million bushels, unchanged from the November 1 Crop Production report but up slightly from last year's estimate, according to the USDA's 2004 annual crop report, AgReport posted on January 12.

Average yield per acre, at 69.4 bushels, is the same as in November but 10.5 bushels above 2003. The area harvested for grain is estimated at 4.02 million acres, 15% below a year ago.

Nationally, harvested area is the smallest since 1894 but yield is a new record high, 69 bushels above the previous record of 62.5 bushels set in 1992. Record State yields were set in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, and South Dakota.

This year's barley crop got an early start in the five major-producing States, with planting and emergence advancing well ahead of the 5-year average. However, as below-normal temperatures prevailed across the northern Great Plains and northern Corn Belt throughout the summer, development lagged behind the normal pace.

15 January, 2005