After tough times, Washington's wheat harvest is looking good this year
Washington's state's winter wheat harvest is now underway, and growers are expecting a good crop this year.
The historic drought of 2021 dealt a severe blow to Washington’s winter wheat crops. The state’s output fell from 133 million bushels in 2020, to less than 71 million.
But this year, a mild winter and persistently wet spring have produced the opposite effect. The latest estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture predict Washington’s wheat crops will rebound to nearly the 2020 level.
On top of that, USDA’s Dave Losh says there’s more good news.
“A large amount of production and the quality will be good as well," Losh said, adding that the wheat grown in Washington usually ends up being purchased overseas – typically in Asia.
The harvest itself is already underway, and will last through September in some parts of Eastern Washington.
