6/16/2022

Review of What's Happened with Rye Grass so Far

What a difference a year makes! As we progress into Rye Grass production season, many in the grass industry are looking to not have a repeat of 2021. The many challenges of the 2021 season began with the purchase of Columbia Seed company by the Scotts company. This acquisition removed millions of pounds of seed from the professional market and supplanted the seed in the retail market.

The issues in 2021 continued to pile up, and it was quickly becoming apparent that the 2021 seed season would be extremely volatile. Between the vole pressure on the Rye Grass fields, a dry spring season in Oregon and Washington, and a summer that saw record heat almost daily. Needless to say, yields were being reduced by 10-50% in some cases.

And if that wasn't enough, supply chain issues, trucking issues, and labor shortages were compounding the problems of low yields, making the 2021 Rye Grass season one that everyone would like to forget. There is hope for 2022 though.

Rye Grass Crops in 2022

The total number of acres of Rye Grass planted is estimated to be slightly up from last year's allotment. Nearly 60% of the Rye Grass acres are under some type of contract growing for the 2022 season. The total irrigated acres of the Rye Grass crop are said to be roughly 20+% of the total acres planted. The Oregon and Washington area have already been having a better start to 2022 with a wet spring season, compared to an extremely dry 2021.

This has resulted in favorable conditions for the Perennial Rye Grass crops in these heading into the summer season. The extra moisture has already proven beneficial to the Rye Grass crops in Washington and Oregon. With expected additional rainfall this week, there are estimates that the Rye Grass crop for 2022 may be a week or two behind schedule. With poor weather conditions affecting the Minnesota and Canadian markets, the Rye Grass production schedule is expected to have extended delays.

Rye Grass For the Rest of 2022 and Beyond

There will be continued pressure applied from all sides in the upcoming 2022 Rye Grass production season. Barring no natural disasters, many companies associated with Rye Grass production are still facing several obstacles with labor shortages, supply chain issues, raw material pricing, and trucking problems.

This in combination with little to no carry over from the 2021 Rye Grass production season, and the ongoing drought issues the southwest is currently facing, can make for a very interesting 2022 season that is now upon us. The key facet to a productive upcoming season is a consistent line of communication of expectations, and upcoming pitfalls that are likely to occur during the process. Overall, 2022 Rye Grass production is at a far better place at this time than in 2021.

To stay updated on where the Rye Grass industry is and where it's going, be sure to follow our blog page and reach out to your local Harrell's rep!