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Although acreage has dropped to record low numbers of 1,950,000 and 440,000 acres of wheat and barley, respectively, hard red spring wheat and spring barley remain the third and fourth largest crops in Minnesota. Minnesota's share of the nation's HRSW production has continued to drop in recent years. Similarly, Minnesota's share of feed and malt barley production has declined sharply over the past number of years. The total spring barley acreage in Minnesota in 1998 was the lowest in sixty years.
The drop in acreage as well as productivity in recent years is largely due to delayed planting caused by wet springs and an epidemic outbreak of Fusarium graminearum. This disease has caused dramatic yield reduction in wheat and extensive quality problems in both wheat and barley. Scab has caused an estimated $1.3 billion in damages since 1993 in the northern Great Plains.
Over ninety percent of the state's wheat and barley production is concentrated in the northwest and west central crop-reporting district. The economic impact of wheat and barley production to the State is estimated to be between $300 and $400 million annually. Profitable small grain production is, therefore, vital to the economic well being of these districts of the State.
Small grains producers and agricultural professionals in Minnesota and neighboring states.
Development of educational programs and strategies to address the needs of small grain producers in Minnesota;
- Jochum Wiersma, Program Coordinator
- Zach Fore, Regional Cropping Specialist
- Hans Kandel
- Jim Stordahl
- Russ Severson
- Doug Holen
- James Anderson, content specialist
- Kevin Smith, content specialist
- Deon Stuthman, content specialist
- Annual field tours
- Red River On Farm Yield Trials
- Small Grains Website (http://www.smallgrains.org)
- Annual Small Grains Update series (8 locations in NW MN) organized by the Extension Service and the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers.
- Monthly contribution of Extension information via the "Small Grains Update" news letter from the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers.
- Providing farmers with information about regional educational events http://www.prairieagcomm.com/calendar/calendar.cfm
- Timely News Paper Articles about wheat production issues
- Genetics and varieties research-Agronomy and Plant Genetics
- Weed management in small grains-Agronomy and Plant Genetics
- Small grains diseases-Plant Pathology
- Grain insect pests-Entomology
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