Farmers Seeding More Spring Wheat

Washington farmers intend to plant 48 percent more spring wheat in 1995 than last year, but Idaho farmers will plant 2 percent less, the state Agricultural Statistics Services said.

Based on a survey taken in early March, farmers in Washington plan to seed 370,000 acres of spring wheat, up from 250,000 acres a year ago. The increase reflects a decline in spring barley and winter wheat, which was seeded last fall.

Idaho farmers will seed 640,000 acres of spring wheat, down from 650,000 acres last year.

Nationally, farmers intend to seed 18.4 million acres of spring wheat, slightly higher than the 18.3 million acres plant in 1994.

The survey also found that Washington farmers intend to plant these spring crops: barley, 230,000 acres, down from 310,000 acres in 1994; oats, 32,000 acres, down from 45,000 acres; corn, 150,000 acres, no change; dry beans, 40,000 acres, no change.

In Idaho: barley, 720,000 acres, down from 740,000 acres in 1994; oats, 70,000 acres, no change; corn, 100,000 acres, no change; dry beans, 120,000 acres, down from 140,000 acres.