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Your assurance of
the best grass seed.

The State of Oregon provides ideal growing conditions for grass seed in five producing regions. Located on the 45th parallel, half way between the Equator and the North Pole, Oregon experiences distinct seasons with spring rain and summer sun, so important to farming and seed production in particular.
Turf and forage grass authorities worldwide recognize Oregon growers as producing the best grass seed available due to their experience, high production standards, and constantly improving varieties.
Oregon’s 1,400 grass seed farms producing on a half-million acres are managed by dedicated professionals. Many of Oregon’s growers are descendants of pioneers and settlers to the Oregon Territory, and operate century-old farms. In the 1930s, grass seed farming replaced other activities on land used for grazing cattle and sheep. Family farms raised ryegrass and fescues that were common to the area. Species now include annual and perennial ryegrass, tall and fine fescues, orchardgrass and bentgrass. Grass seed farms today are responsible for about 3,500 employees, and produce 800 million pounds of grass seed.
Seed production consists of plowing, planting, fertilizing and field inspections for crop purity. When seed fields have matured, the grass is swathed into windrows to dry, then combined to remove seed from the stalk. After cleaning out foreign matter, seed is laboratory tested for purity and germination. It’s a lot of work, but necessary for quality assurance.
Improved technologies, newer and larger equipment, research, and excellent marketing programs have made grass seed production one of the state’s leading agricultural crops, returning $430 million dollars annually.
With understanding and cooperation between growers, the public, consumers and government agencies, Oregon will continue to be the world leader in superior quality grass seed production.

©2008 Oregon Tall Fescue Commission