Western Washington Agricultural Assocation

Green pea harvest season begins today at Twin City Foods in Stanwood. The planting season was delayed due to the rainy early planting season and we haven’t seen any rain since. We will undoubtedly be affected by the lack of moisture on some of the harvest season. We will be watching closely the level of dockage as last season was an unusually high year and we would like to see conditions return to normal.

In 1,000 Pounds	2002	03' Share	2002	02' Share	% Change
Middle Atlantic	13,743	20.8%	20,704	15.5%	-33.6%
East North Central	12,205	18.5%	21,591	16.2%	-43.5%
West North Central	6,055	9.2%	3,607	2.7%	67.9%
South Altantic	4,072	6.2%	4,463	3.3%	-8.8%
Mountain	2,309	3.5%	10,717	8.0%	-78.5%
Pacific	25,322	38.4%	69,490	52.1%	-63.6%
Other	2,220	3.4%	2,837	2.1%	-21.7%
Total US	65,926		133,409		-50.6%

Canners intend to contract 108,100 acres this season, up 10% from last year. Current prices for 24/300 fancy 4 peas are trading between $8.50-$9.50 per case and foodservice 6/10 cases are between $15.00-$16.00 per case, f.o.b. Midwest. The current IQF bulk price seems to be in the $0.35-$0.36 range. This is up slightly from last year.

The Northwest was the first area to have new product available for the market. However, the July weather in June caused serious quality problems for the initial two weeks of the harvest especially in the Walla Walla \ Hermiston area. Because of the demand for product, every processor tried to harvest every available pea. Some acreage was actually abandoned but acreage was swapped back and forth between processors in an attempt to avoid further bypass or abandonment and to get back on top of quality. Yields were good on the early season peas, especially the irrigated peas in the Columbia Basin.

The high temperatures affected quality and also have had an adverse effect on the yields of the later season peas. Harvest in nearly completed on the east side of the Cascades.

The current assessment is that the Northwest will not make the planned pack and will have a higher than planned sub standard pack. This should help to keep the inventory situation in short supply status going into next season.

The Midwest pea crop is very good in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Illinois has had some weather related problems but is still having a good overall crop.

The Northeast had excessive rain throughout the planting season and will likely feel the effect of bunching and excess moisture conditions. They expect a good pack, but not outstanding.

The task force that will be charged with finding opportunities to enhance salmon estuarian habitat while protecting Ag lands will be forming in the near future. Some discussion is currently underway on making the selections and appointments to the task force. Meanwhile, discussion is ongoing between the various affected parties to explore opportunities for habitat restoration on public lands. We will actively participate in this process.

As we look to the future, we must be thinking about agricultural water rights and the need to protect the water necessary for the agricultural industry in dry year seasons like the one we are currently experiencing. Water rights issues are due to the need for in-stream flow requirements to meet all of the user needs. These include livestock and irrigation, municipalities and fish. This issue is complex and will require a great deal of effort by the agricultura

	2003	2002	% Difference
For Canning	108,100	98,300	10.0%
For Freezing	135,100	130,200	3.8%
Total US	243,200	228,500	6.4%