Some grass seed yields down as much as 50 percent

By MITCH LIES

Capital Press

Low prices and low yields have taken the fun out of harvest for Willamette Valley grass seed growers, some of whom are reporting yields off 50 percent.

"You're not real excited about thrashing it," said Rodney Hightower, a grass seed grower from Junction City. "It makes it hard to get out in the field every day."

Hightower said he was getting between 1,300 and 1,500 pounds of seed an acre in tall fescue fields that normally average over 2,000 pounds.

"I've had some growers say it's the worst yields they've ever seen," said Bryan Ostlund, administrator of the Oregon Ryegrass Growers Seed Commission.

John Langdon, a tall fescue seed grower from Harrisburg, Ore., said his yields were off about 20 percent.

"The tall fescue looks good," he said. "But we seem to be missing a few truckloads from each field."

"I'm hearing yields are down 25 to 50 percent," said Roger Beyer, executive secretary of the Oregon Seed Council. "Without exception, everyone I've talked to the last two days said their yields are dismal."

Most attribute the poor yields to a cold, wet spring that slowed pollination and seed-head development.

Figures from the National Weather Service show more than 9 inches of rain fell in Portland during May and June, 5 inches above average.

"The rain and the cold weather is the only thing I can attribute it to," Hightower said. "The cold, wet spring -- especially during pollination -- must have had a big effect."

Seed produced on the hard clay soils prominent in the south Willamette Valley, was particularly hard hit.

"Any of the heavy clays, the rain just sat out there too long," Langdon said.

"It's not good," Langdon said. "We didn't need a bumper crop, however, farmers had a tough last couple of years, and I think a lot of operating loans are going to be hanging out there for three years now."

Yields of other perennial ryegrass and annual ryegrass, appear slightly below average, according to reports.

The two ryegrass species, along with tall fescue, are the major grass seed species grown in the valley.

About the only good news for growers scrambling to stay afloat in the economic recession is low seed yields could help reduce supplies.

"That should certainly do a lot to cut back on any oversupply problem," Beyer said. "But these guys are in tough straits already after the last couple of years. Now if they are getting only 50 to 75 percent of yields, that's a tough way to cut supply down."