CROP OUTLOOK REPORT

Editor’s Note: Industry comments for the seed and vegetative stock crop outlook were provided in late May. Please note that weather conditions can impact final yields, and that seed harvests in July and August may differ from the forecasts shared here. Tese industry perspectives, however, provide insights into the outlook for these valuable crops.

Questions were sent to suppliers to obtain information for this article. Tis is a compilation of their responses. Turf News thanks those suppliers named within the article for their participation.

Weather Impact Greg Hagen, Cascade International Seed Company, says, “Oregon experienced very wet weather during the fall planting season. Tis delayed many scheduled new plantings and prevented other fields from getting planted. Te delay was costly as germination and establishment were slowed and some fields froze out. Other plantings were at 80 percent stand establishment.”

All those responding on the weather’s impact in Oregon provided assessments similar to Hagen’s. Duane Klundt, Grassland Oregon, adds, “Some perennial ryegrass fields never recovered from the struggle to establish in wet weather, while others were planted a couple times in hopes of some kind of a crop.”

Bo Lacy, CGCS, Barenbrug USA, says, “In Oregon, early fall planting was the key to successful establishment this year. Te weather pattern, combined with an increase in slugs, weakened the existing grass stands and injured new plantings. Tis winter, seedling fields were damaged by frost and the record rainfall, which stunted plant growth coming into the spring. Kentucky bluegrass production fields in Eastern Oregon/Washington and Idaho were covered in snow most of the winter. Tat snow was late coming off.”

Nancy Aerni, Turf Merchants, Inc. (TMI), reports, “Te Willamette Valley had record-breaking rainfall this year. Normal rainfall is about 45 inches. So far, we’ve had about 62 inches this growing season. New plantings have suffered and so have any production acreage that had marginal stands.”

Larry Humphreys, Landmark Turf and Native Seed, reports, “In western Oregon, record-breaking rains caused the crops to look pretty rough coming out of winter. A mild, though still very wet, spring has allowed most crops to catch up and fill in the thin spots. In eastern Washington, where we grow the majority of our Kentucky bluegrass, the weather pattern was similar, much wetter than usual. But that moisture has done as much good as harm to date there. Te crops came through winter in good shape.”

Humphreys adds, “Due to the spring rains, Oregon growers have not been able to time fertilizer and pesticide applications as precisely as they’d like.” Klundt says, “Te other issue this weed control challenge will bring is cleanliness.”

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Ryan Jeffries, Columbia Seeds, reports, “Northern Minnesota saw significant loss in some areas on perennial ryegrass. Weed pressure is extremely high in all production areas to date.”

Tobey Wagner, Sod Solutions, reports, “Last fall, Hurricane Matthew struck the east coast from Daytona Beach, FL to just south of Charleston, SC. Although only a category 2 storm, the flooding and damage to homes and lawns was widespread and devastating. Te storm’s ripple effect extended throughout the region causing shortages and outages of many turf varieties. A severe drought in Florida and parts of the Southeast in the storm’s aftermath is creating additional weather challenges. Many areas have recorded little rainfall since Hurricane Matthew.”

Aerni adds, “Weather in the Willamette Valley was erratic at a very crucial time for seed development and viability— the beginning of grass seed pollination.”

Humphreys says, “Te primary concern now for all Oregon and Washington production areas is that the rains stop and we get some heat units so the crops can pollinate and mature as needed over the next six to eight weeks.

Trends Wagner says, “Sod Solutions works with over 250 farms worldwide and trends in production and availability vary greatly between the regions. I anticipate an increase in prices due to high demand, low inventory nationwide, and continued increases in production costs. Warmer than average winter temperatures provided an opportunity for sales earlier in the spring than is typical. Te perfect storm of the fall elections, economic growth, and early season warm weather has created one of the biggest shortages of turfgrass sod in recent memory, especially in the Southeast. Many growers are expanding production, but in a controlled manner as the memory of the recent recession and oversupply remain in the back of their minds.”

Humphreys reports, “Te rains have not been all bad. California, which has been nearly out of the market in the last few years due to drought restrictions, now has adequate water. We may see a surge in seed need there, though not to the levels of ten years ago. Housing starts across the country are up after several years of decline, a very positive sign.”

TPI Tur News

urff News Julyuly/August 2017