Widespread drought and adverse growing conditions have severely limited Texas wheat production in 2022, leading many growers to express concerns about the availability of quality seed to plant next year’s crop.
According to the Crop Production Report released by the National Agricultural Statistics Service on May 12, Texas winter wheat production is estimated at 41.6 million bushels for 2022. If realized, this would be the lowest statewide production in more than a decade, with 76% of the state’s planted acres not expected to be harvested for grain. For many producers, precipitation was considerably below average during the growing season, which significantly impacted wheat germination and development.
“I’ve been in the seed business for 14 years and have never experienced such widespread loss,” said Chet Creel, a farmer from Newcastle and vice-chairman of the Texas Wheat Producers Board. “As farmers plan for the next season, prices are encouraging increased wheat acres, which puts more strain on supplies.”
During times of critical seed shortage, the Texas Seed and Plant Board can approve the recertification of certified seed to expand availability. Fields producing certified seed must still meet stringent requirements to ensure adequate seed quality.
Certified seed growers who are interested in recertifying seed should submit requests to the Texas Department of Agriculture to be evaluated by the Texas Seed and Plant Board.
“In these circumstances, we support the recertification process,” said Jody Bellah, a farmer from Throckmorton and president of the Texas Wheat Producers Association. “It’s been a challenging year all around, so it’s important that we explore these options to ensure growers have seed for fall planting.”
Despite lower production, representatives of the seed industry are optimistic about overall seed supplies.
“Generally, the opinion among our members is that there is plenty of good quality wheat seed out there, mostly under well-managed irrigation, that can be made available through the recertification program,” said Bryan Gentsch, executive vice president of the Texas Seed Trade Association.
In Texas, many wheat varieties can legally be saved for personal use. However, harsh growing conditions can affect seed quality, so farmers are encouraged to closely evaluate any seed intended for planting and to always follow provisions in the Plant Variety Protection Act.
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