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Article: SLUMP IN NORTHWEST CROP PRICES HURTING FARM-IMPLEMENT DEALERS.(Business)
- Article from:
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer
- Article date:
- September 13, 1999
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Seattle Post-Intelligencer. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of the Dialog Corporation by Gale Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The slump in crop prices hurting Pacific Northwest farmers is spilling over into other sectors of the economy.
Sales are down at farm implement dealerships - prompting layoffs and branch closings for some - and growers are becoming stingier when it comes to applying farm chemicals, industry officials say.
``We're pretty much the first on the food chain,'' said Kirk Smith of Smith Truck & Tractor in Pasco. ``Even the better growers, rather than purchase (new), they're rebuilding.''
He worries the effects will spread throughout the rural economy.
``I don't care how far down the food chain you are in this; it'll hit fertilizer sales, auto ...