weather. At the end of the day, crops will not be average, just how low below average waits to be seen. Several things can happen between now and harvest. However, things seem to be going in the right direction … if the fields can maintain moisture.
PURE SEED
Provided by Auston Fricker, Vice President – PST, Production Manager – Pure-Seed Testing/Pure Seed
Tis graphic from Mountain View Seeds shows the contrast in Tall Fescue production fields this March as compared to March of a “typical” year.
Trends
Tings have slowed substantially from previous years, in volume and pricing. Te result is a more cautious buying approach from top to bottom. At the same time, supplies have increased so the need to be ahead of the competition is not so dire. Additionally, the weather across the U.S. has played havoc on seed movement this spring. To sum it up, seed is still moving from the west, coupled with inventory in the hands of most suppliers in the east, which means products are adequate for the most part, for cool-season turfgrasses.
Production Production will be a challenge this year in both quantity and quality, but the carryover product from our robust 2022 harvest should more than make up for any shortcomings. As always when it comes to quality, know your supplier well, and this will be more important this year than it has been for a while. Due to the dry fall, wet winter, and slow wake-up of the desired crop this spring, weed pressure will be higher than normal. Now the growers in Oregon have a pretty good idea of how to handle this problem and they will do the best they can do, but sometimes things can still slip through. So, ask questions, and buy from those you trust to have your best interest at heart.
Anticipated Pricing Until the seed is harvested, we are not sure where the price will land. Currently, it is softer than it has been these last couple of years and is still very volatile. A big reason for that is carryover inventory, the amount of off-quality seed from last year’s crop, and potentially more from this year’s crop. Please remember price is not always the best reason to buy. Tings like genetics, quality, service, and, of course, partnership go a long way.
TPI Turf News July/August 2023
Tis photo from Pure Seed shows production fields still struggling from the cold, wet spring prior to the temperature spike in mid-May.
Existing fields of tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescue came into the spring with less than average stands due to the dry fall, and slug and vole damage. Weed encroachment, and weak stands with limited yield potential on these fields have led some farmers to remove fields this spring so they can try to get another crop planted before summer. Many of the fields planted in 2022 are small and have less than average stands due to the rapid change from warm and dry to cold and wet that we experienced in the Pacific Northwest last October. Some farmers also have chosen to remove newly planted fields because the stands are too weak to produce an economically viable crop.
Te cold, wet spring delayed most fields and caused the projected crop to appear to be two to three weeks late up until the second week of May. Ten temperatures rose into the upper 80s and precipitation completely stopped. Temperatures have moderated into the 70s, but there is no rainfall in the foreseeable future, causing additional concerns about the yield potential for the 2023 crop, especially for dryland production acres.
Labor costs have continued to rise, and farmers are not immune to the inflation, supply chain disruptions, and rising interest rates that most of the world is dealing with. All of this leads to an increase in the difficulty and cost of producing clean, quality seed.
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