| HELENA Montana corn growers planted the same acreage
this season as last year, state officials say, but sugarbeet
producers planted less because of fewer acres being
contracted.
The Montana Agricultural Statistics Service said corn
growers planted about 60,000 acres the same as last year,
but 5,000 acres more than planned on March 1. Sugarbeet
producers planted about 57,500 acres, a decrease of 5 percent
from 2000.
The service also said about 2.05 million acres of all hay
are planned for harvest. That amount is 50,000 acres more than
last years harvest, but 450,000 acres less than planned on
March 1 this year, the service said.
The service said the loss of optimism for the 2001 hay crop
is a reflection of the continuing drought. |