Hot Weather Takes Toll On Washington Wheat Crop

Too much heat and too little rain this summer are taking a toll on the winter wheat crop in Eastern Washington.

Joel Zwainz on Monday estimated that his family’s 3,400-acre farm near Reardan will produce 30 to 50 percent less wheat than it did last year.

The Spokesman-Review reported that farmers estimate this year’s crop is down an average of about 30 percent from last year’s yield and slightly below the 10-year average.

In addition, the summer’s extreme heat and drought has rendered the crop potentially less tasty to foreign customers who make up as much as 90 percent of the market for Washington wheat.