USDA predicts dip in Wisconsin sweet corn production
Agriculture officials expect the nation's farmers to produce slightly more sweet corn this year, but less of the crop could come from Wisconsin.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts that 101,000 acres of fresh market sweet corn will be harvested in 2009. That's a 2 percent increase over last year.
The USDA expects 6,500 of those acres to be harvested in Wisconsin. That would be a decrease of 300 acres, or 4 percent.
The USDA also says Wisconsin has 81,300 acres of sweet corn contracted for processing, down 9 percent from 2008. Nationally, sweet corn for processing acres rose to 8 percent 393,850.
USDA officials also expect Wisconsin's harvest of snap beans and cucumbers for pickles to dip slightly.
Two Wisconsin crops are expected to show a slight increase in harvest this year. The USDA says there was a slight increase in cropland devoted to onions and green peas.
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