Sp Cr 2 (3-05) Hop Stocks National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released March 18, 2005, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on Hop Stocks call Kim Ritchie at (360) 902-1940, office hours 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PT. March 1 Hop Stocks Drop From Last Year The inventory of hops held by growers, dealers, and brewers on March 1, 2005, totaled 61.0 million pounds, 28 percent less than March 1, 2004, and 26 percent less than March 1, 2003. This is the lowest March 1 stocks since 1974 when 58.64 million pounds were held. The record high March 1 stocks was 100.3 million pounds held in 1984. Stocks held by brewers, at 28.0 million pounds, were down 24 percent from a year ago, and 32 percent less than March 1, 2003. Stocks held by growers and dealers on March 1, 2005, totaled 33.0 million pounds, 31 percent less than March 1, 2004, and 20 percent less than March 1, 2003. Hops: Stocks Held by Growers, Dealers, and Brewers, United States, 2002-2005 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : September 1 : March 1 Stocks 1/ :------------------------------------------------------------- : 2002 : 2003 : 2004 : 2003 : 2004 : 2005 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Pounds : Stocks Held by: : : Dealers/Growers : 30,000 34,000 31,000 41,000 48,000 33,000 Brewers : 35,000 35,000 30,000 41,000 37,000 28,000 : Total Stocks : 65,000 69,000 61,000 82,000 85,000 61,000 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Includes equivalent pounds of dry hops held in form of extract or pellets. 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: www.usda.gov/nass/. Select "Today's Reports" or Publications and then Reports 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. Starting with the NASS Home Page at www.usda.gov/nass/, click on Publications, then click on the Subscribe by E-mail button which takes you to the page describing e-mail delivery of reports. Finally, click on Go to the Subscription Page and follow the instructions. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - PRINTED REPORTS OR DATA PRODUCTS CALL OUR TOLL-FREE ORDER DESK: 800-999-6779 (U.S. and Canada) Other areas, please call 703-605-6220 FAX: 703-605-6900 (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. 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, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C., 20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.