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Small Grains
Small grains crops like oats, wheat, barley, rye and triticale are seeing renewed interest by farmers in Iowa. Practical Farmers members and others are generating information about how to source seed, as well as plant, manage and harvest these crops.
Iowa was once a nationwide leader in small grain production, especially oats, but many farm families haven’t grown them for a generation. Now that more and more members have become interested in growing small grains, Practical Farmers of Iowa’s staff and members have been busy compiling information about how to plant, harvest, store, and sell small grains.
Join us at the Midwest Covers and Grains Conference
The Midwest Covers & Grains Conference brings together Midwestern farmers, supply chain buyers and researchers to promote successful farming with extended rotations and cover crops. The conference includes opportunities to network with those who buy and sell small grains and cover crops, and offers sessions for both beginning and experienced cover crop practitioners.
Small Grains Cost-Share
This cost-share is for non-organic acres in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska or Wisconsin extending their cropping rotation with a small-grain (barley, oats, cereal rye, triticale, wheat) and legume cover crop.
Small Grains Business Directory
Benefits of Small Grains Infographic
Small Grains in the Cornbelt — 2016 Oat Pilot Report
Feeding Small Grains to Livestock — Meta-Analysis
Subscribe to monthly small grains e-mails
University and Extension Research
- Diversifying Corn-Soybean Rotations (ISU)
- An economic comparison of organic and conventional grain crops in a long-term agroecological research (LTAR) site in Iowa (ISU)
Production Manuals
- Intercropping Winter Cereal Grains Winter Cereal Grains and Red Clover (ISU)
- Wheat Production Handbook (KSU)
- Univ. Minnesota Small Grains Profiles (UMN)
- Small Grain Production For Iowa-Spr
ing (ISU) - Small Grain Production For Iowa-Winter (ISU)
- Oats: A Production Guide (Grain Millers)
Variety Trials
- ISU Oat Variety Trials : 2012 – 2013 – 2014 – 2015ne – 2015nc
- Illinois Wheat and oat Variety Trials
- Nebraska Hard Winter Wheat Variety Trials
- Minnesota Small Grain Variety Trials: Oats – Barley – Spring Wheat – Winter Wheat
- Practical Farmers of Iowa Oat Variety Trial: 2015 – 2016 – 2017 – 2018
- North Dakota State University: Oat/Barley/Rye – Spring Wheat – Winter Wheat
- South Dakota State University: Oat – Spring Wheat – Winter Wheat
- University of Wisconsin: Oat/Barley – Winter Wheat
Decision Making Tools
Contact Information
For more information about small grains programming: contact Lydia English at lydia.english@practicalfarmers.org.