Ag News: Pandemic Replacement Parts and Pear Estimates for WA
**The pandemic has complicated work for California farmers who need replacement parts for machinery, with some parts in short supply.
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers says plants in Mexico slowed parts production during the early weeks of the pandemic, making certain spare parts were hard to come by.
Farmers and equipment dealers say supplies have stabilized, especially for American-made parts.
**The pear industry is releasing its first official estimate of the 2020-21 Northwest fresh pear crop.
Pear growers and producers from both Washington and Oregon have estimated this year's fresh pear harvest at 16.6 million standard box equivalents, roughly 366,000 tons of fresh pears, slightly above last season's harvest.
Pear Bureau Northwest president, Kevin Moffitt says growers throughout Washington and Oregon are reporting beautiful fruit and good sizing and we expect a very promotable crop with imports down by one third and a smaller California crop.
**Analysis by USDA’s Research Service shows large dairy farms, with 1,000 cows or more, had positive net returns in 10 of the last 14 years.
ERS economists tell milkbusiness.com, every year between 2005 and 2018, average net returns increased with herd size with returns exceeding those for all other herd sizes.
The smallest herd sizes, from 50-199 head, never covered their total costs and thus had negative net returns over the same period.
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