Sp Cr 2 (9-98) Hop Stocks National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released September 18, 1998, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Hop Stocks" call Harry Nishimoto at (360) 902-1940, office hours 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PT. September 1 Hop Stocks Inventory Down 11 Percent The inventory of hops held by growers, dealers, and brewers on September 1, 1998, totaled 55.0 million pounds, 11 percent below September 1, 1997 and 6 percent below two years ago. Stocks held by brewers, at 41.0 million pounds, fell 8 percent from last year and 13 percent below September 1, 1996. Stocks held by growers and dealers on September 1, 1998 at 14.0 million pounds was 20 percent below the same period a year ago. Hops: Stocks Held by Growers, Dealers, and Brewers, United States, 1996-98 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Mar 1 : Sep 1 Stocks 1/ :----------------------------------------------------------- : 1996 : 1997 : 1998 : 1996 : 1997 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds : Stocks Held by: : Growers 2/ : Dealers 3/ : 25,500 26,000 25,000 11,700 17,500 14,000 Brewers : 55,900 53,000 50,500 47,000 44,500 41,000 : Total Stocks : 81,400 79,000 75,500 58,700 62,000 55,000 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Includes equivalent pounds of dry hop held in form of extract or pellets. 2/ Included in dealer stocks to avoid disclosure of individual operations; includes growers' stocks held in extract form. 3/ March 1998 revised. The next "Hop Stocks" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on March 25, 1999. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C., 20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. ACCESS TO REPORTS!! For your convenience, there are several ways to obtain NASS reports, data products, and services: INTERNET ACCESS All NASS reports are available free of charge on the worldwide Internet. For access, connect to the Internet and go to the NASS Home Page at: http://www.usda.gov/nass/. Select "Today's Reports" or Publications and then Reports by Calendar or Publications and then Search, by Title or Subject. E-MAIL SUBSCRIPTION All NASS reports are available by subscription free of charge direct to your e-mail address. Send an e-mail message to: usda-reports@usda.mannlib.cornell.edu. In the body of the message type the word: list. AUTOFAX ACCESS NASSFax service is available for some reports from your fax machine. Please call 202-720-2000, using the handset attached to your fax. Respond to the voice prompts. Document 0411 is a list of available reports. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - PRINTED REPORTS OR DATA PRODUCTS CALL OUR TOLL-FREE ORDER DESK: 800-999-6779 (U.S. and Canada) Other areas, please call 703-834-0125 FAX: 703-834-0110 (Visa, MasterCard, check, or money order acceptable for payment.) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ASSISTANCE For assistance with general agricultural statistics or further information about NASS or its products or services, contact the Agricultural Statistics Hotline at 800-727-9540, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, or e-mail: nass@nass.usda.gov.