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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Hops Harvest Begins In Yakima Valley

From Staff And Wire Reports

The annual hops harvest is under way in the Yakima Valley with growers anticipating a crop of average quality and above-average yield.

Growers across the valley are just beginning to harvest the higher-yield types, called alpha varieties, that will drive up the state’s production numbers, said Sean McGree, director of the Hop Growers of America.

Washington farmers typically bring in 57 million pounds of hops per season, McGree said. He is expecting 58 million this year.

Some 78 million pounds of hops are expected to be harvested in the United States this year, including 14 million pounds from Oregon and 6 million pounds from Idaho, he said.