Crop outlook strong as harvest nears

Pacific Northwest Farmer’s Cooperative (PNW) plans to hire between 60 and 70 temporary workers to help with this year’s large harvest.

“It’s looking big,” David Weitz of PNW’s Grain Division said of this season’s harvest.

Weitz said less peas and more garbanzo beans have been grown locally this year compared to last year.

The region’s weather has cooperated to create high expectations for this year’s crop yields amongst farmers, he added.

“The weather has been very promising. We’ve had a lot of moisture and it hasn’t been very hot so far,” Weitz explained.

Whitman County Extension Agent Steve Van Vleet and Darrell Booth of Northwest Grain Growers, Inc., echoed Weitz’ sentiment, saying nearly every crop this year is expected to meet or exceed historical averages.

“The recent rain we’ve had here and cool temperatures have helped the beans grow,” Van Vleet said. “But overall, most of the crops are doing better than average.”

According to Booth, farmers anticipate a winter wheat yield of about 90 bushels per acre and a spring wheat harvest of about 50 bushels per acre.

However, Weitz noted wheat crops may be a harder sell for farmers this year because recently-imposed U.S. tariffs have made prices volatile.

“I think that’s the biggest difference this year – high wheat prices,” Weitz said.