Wisconsin Ag Connection - DATCP Posts State Vegetable Production Summary for 2008

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DATCP Posts State Vegetable Production Summary for 2008
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 01/30/2009

Wisconsin remained the nation's second highest state for both harvested acreage and value of production of the major processing vegetables in 2008. According to the state's agriculture department, Wisconsin moved from third into second place for percent of total U.S. production. California remained the number one state in all three categories and accounted for 69 percent of the total production of these vegetables.

Local producers maintained their top ranking in production of processing snap beans. The state produced 40 percent of the nation's crop with 326,870 tons in 2008. Harvested acres rose from 69,900 in 2007 to 80,500 in 2008. Nationally, snap bean production rose seven percent mainly due to higher yields. Wisconsin moved into second place in production of processing sweet corn producing 651,570 tons in 2008. Harvested acres increased by 4,600 to 87,600 acres. U.S. processing sweet corn production declined two percent to 2.83 million tons.

Green pea production in Wisconsin in 2008 totaled 76,060 tons, down six percent from the previous year. This put the state in third place in the nation for production of processing green peas. Harvested acreage rose by 2,800 to 40,100 acres, but yield dropped 12 percent to 1.90 tons per acre.

Production of processing peas in the U.S. fell 2 percent to 411,780 tons. Wisconsin slipped from third into fourth place in the nation for cucumbers for pickles, producing 39,480 tons. Harvested acreage, at 7,100 acres, was 16 percent higher than last year, but yield dropped to 5.56 tons per acre. As a result, the state's production fell 20 percent. U.S. production, at 566,180 tons, was five percent higher than a year ago. Carrots for processing production in Wisconsin declined 5 percent to 77,300 tons. There were 100 fewer acres harvested, and yield decreased by 2 percent. Nationally, carrot production rose 7 percent to 404,730 tons.

Production for all three of the state's main fresh market vegetables decreased in 2008. Fresh market cabbage production fell 19 percent due to a decline in acres harvested and yield per acre. Sweet corn for fresh market harvested acreage decreased to 6,800 acres, while yield rose to 80 hundredweight per acre. The increase in yield was not enough to offset the lower acreage, and production fell five percent. Onion production, at 374,000 cwt., was down 52 percent from 2007. This was primarily due to a 1,000 acre drop in harvested acreage.

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