Texas, USA 2010 - International Herbage Seed Group

seed conditioning plants are located in Oregon to prepare the seed for market once the harvestoperation is complete.In 2009, 44% of Oregon‟s grass seed production was certified; however, the percentage of eachspecies that was certified ranged from 99% (rough bluegrass) to 4% (annual ryegrass) (Table 2).Data used in the calculations for Table 2 are from Oregon Seed Certification Service‟s annualsummary reports for 1990 and 2009, and the total Oregon production data collected by the OSUExtension Economic Information Office for the same years. Over the last 20 years a greaterproportion of red fescue (+60%), colonial bent (+21%) and Kentucky bluegrass (+16%) is beingcertified. However, overall, there has been a decrease (-9%) in the percentage of grass seedcrops certified (Table 2). This decline has been led by tall fescue and perennial ryegrass (both -17%), and orchardgrass (-13%).Table 2. Change in percentage of Oregon certified seed crops relative to total acreage produced, 1990and 2009.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Percent certifiedPercentSpecies 1990 2009 change______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Hard fescue 100 94 -7Rough bluegrass 100 99