Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com

Published - Sunday, July 20, 2008

Farmers in Wisconsin, nation to produce more wheat

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Wisconsin farmers are planting and producing more winter wheat this year as prices continue to rise.

That National Agricultural Statistics Service says Wisconsin farmers expect to produce 22.4 million bushels of winter wheat this year, up 20 percent from last year.

They expect to harvest 330,000 acres, up from 270,000 last year.

NASS statistician Doug Bounds says farmers are likely putting more acres into wheat because the price has doubled in the past two years. He says wheat sold for an average of $3.95 a bushel in June 2006. This year, it’s selling for about $8 a bushel.

Nationally, winter wheat production is expected to grow 23 percent from 1.5 billion bushels last year to 1.86 billion this year.

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