Acreage Declined On Two Key Grass Types
Production Acreage Declines On Two Biggest Crops
Posted in General by Curtis Williams
No sooner than we reported a relative stable trend in Oregon’s grass seed acres for the last 5 years, comes a report from USDA on acreage for 2017. While the 5% rule on variation still applies to Forage Tall, Kentucky 31 and Annual/Gulf Ryegrass, our two biggest crops noticeably declined.
Perennial ryegrass is down a whopping 14% over 2016. Grass seed growers reported that wet weather during planting last fall delayed seeding and many acres didn’t get planted at all. Some newly planted fields froze out due to our unusually cold winter. What survives will have adequate moisture given the great snow pack.
Tall Fescue too, is down 8%, and this could present a problem if we get anything other than above average yields in 2017. The good news for all is that there is a decreased likelihood of any dramatic price decreases with the 2017 crop.
