US farmers explore markets for specialty grain crops

Faced with short supplies of water and tough commodity prices, California farmers are looking increasingly to specialty markets to make it worth their while to keep grains in the ground during the winter. While wheat acreage has declined for more than a decade in competition for land with tree and vine crops, farmers have turned to water-efficient crops such as triticale and barley or specialty grains sold to artisan bakers or malting houses that serve craft breweries. "Small-grain seed production has been on a downward trend since 2007," said John Palmer, executive director of the California Crop Improvement Association. "Wheat has declined the most." Ground devoted to the production of certified wheat and durum seed acreage has declined from more than 23,000 acres statewide in 2008 to fewer than 8,000 acres this year, according to Palmer, who presented his information during the University of California Small Grains–Alfalfa/Forages Virtual Field Day. Specialists said the loss of ...