Laura Wilder

Hot, dry weather took its toll on this year’s Northwest barley crop, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reported, but Idaho managed to retain the top spot as the nation’s leading producer.

The Sept. 30 NASS Small Grain Annual Summary said production dropped from last year in Idaho, Washington and Oregon as well as nationwide.

In the Northwest, production was down 21% in Idaho, 58% in Washington and 72% in Oregon.

“Between harsh spring winds, early hot weather and then extended severe drought through the summer, 2021 was an unusual and especially tough year across the primary U.S. barley growing regions,” Idaho Barley Commission Executive Director Laura Wilder said.

She said the Idaho’s water availability and substantial irrigation infrastructure helped the state outperform other major production states.

The country’s top barley producers this year were Idaho at 43.6 million bushels, Montana at 23.7 million bushels and North Dakota at 21.9 million bushels, NASS reported.

Idaho’s 21% drop in production was better than the 36% desrease USDA had predicted earlier in the summer, Wilder said.

“Although water was tight in some areas of Idaho for 2021 and required extra efforts to manage for most growers, our water situation put the state in much better shape than most, she said.

Idaho planted 520,0000 acres of barley, down 10,000 acres from 2020. Harvested acres, at 490,000 acres, also were down 10,000. NASS estimated the average yield at 89 bushels per acre, down 21 bushels.

Washington planted 83,000 acres, down 7,000 acres from 2020. Harvested acres, at 70,000 acres were down by 1,000 acres. The estimated yield of 38 bushels per acre is down 52 bushels from last year. Statewide production was 2.6 million bushels.

Oregon planted 37,000 acres of barley, down 8,000 acres. Harvested acres, at 19,000, were down 11,000. The estimated yield of 32 bushels per acre is down 40 bushels from last year. Statewide production was 608,000 bushels.

Nationwide from 2020 to 2021, production dropped from 170.8 million bushels to 117.6 million bushels.

Planted acres decreased from 2.7 million acres  to 2.6 million, and harvested acres fell from 2.2 million to 1.9 million.