b'Short SupplyAS OF LATE JUNE,the online chatter from Missouri farmers might raise the neck hairs of seed purchasers such as Pennington, DLF Pickseed, Scotts and bulk retailers as Mother Nature continued to Could Oust thwart their efforts to harvest a decent K31 seed crop. In Missouri, farmers had a two- to three-week window prior to the Fourth of July to capture the tall fescue seed crop. K31 Popularity During a good year, the states farmers normally produce 50-60 million pounds. In 2013, an exceptional year, they yielded 85 million pounds of K31. Since then, weather has significantly cut yields. From 2014-2016, yields were half of average. Seed analysts from Pennington predicted that 2017 Years of surplus seed have keptyields would return to normal, but that didnt pan out. prices low and the product on storeA record-breaking winter drought coupled with fluc-shelves since the 1940s. Explore howtuating spring temperatures, heavy rains and a wind-Mother Nature might be pushing newstorm that knocked out the first (and biggest) wave of products onto store shelves.harvestable K31 seed was devastating for the crop. At 20 million pounds, 2017 proved to produce the states Julie Deering jdeering@issuesink.com smallest K31 crop on record.By the spring of 2018, the product was in short supply on retail shelves. 2018 was not any friendlier to Missouris farmers. Drought persisted and left anything that grew withered, resulting in forage shortages for Im mowing hay today, andthose in the livestock industry. Hay prices were such that (anywhere from $60-$100+ a round bale) farmers it looks like most of it shelledopted to cut any grass they did have for hay.out in the previous coupleThere used to be a tremendous amount of K31 storms over the weekend.grown in Kentucky and Missouri, says Fred Mohr,reports one Southwest Missouri farmer. Seedways turf seed business manager. Today, all the K31 I buy comes off the West Coast because the Midwest hasnt had a decent crop in the last three to five years.During the last two weeks of June, the U.S. We had two days in a rowDepartment of Agriculture reported 7.2 days were with torrential rains andsuitable for field work in the Show-Me State. Despite 60+ mph winds ahead of thea really wet spring and flooded river valleys, Missouri rain with hot sunshine ingrowers are coming back into the mix, meaning retai-between. Lot of it shatteredlers will once again have their shelves stocked with K31, or a blend that includes K31.Friday morning andAccording to Pennington, Missouri was home to Saturday night.more than two-thirds of all K31 seed production. InDID YOU the past, the seed supply regularly outpaced demand,KNOW? adds a West-central Missouri farmer. keeping prices low. Tall fescue While the short seed supply and resulting higher(Festuca arundinacea)prices has been the root of some mislabeling, Mohrhopes the short K31 supply pushes the crop out ofis grown onRunning tonight. Still prettymore than some of the spec documents and moves buyers good, despite all the windtoward newer and better products. 35and rain. Filled a 10-wheelerIts still popular in the South, Mohr says. But outmillion in 4.5 hours.here in the East, no one is putting it on turf anymore.U.S. acres. shares a Central Missouri farmer. There are a number of cheaper and better-looking products.SW8/ SEEDWORLD.COMOCTOBER 2019'