| | Note: prices provided are grower prices, quoted by processors to growers after cleaning and dockage.
The Annual Western Seed Association meetings were held this past weekend in Kansas City, Missouri, where grass and legume seed companies from throughout North America and overseas meet to have their annual meetings, and possibly, move some seed.
However, nothing earth shattering came out of the meetings that wasn’t known before. A bit of seed traded, but not much. The meetings basically confirmed the slow fall movement of grass seed to end users, as well as confirmed some 2008 production numbers. The economic situation in the USA continues to affect all marketplaces, and the grass and legume seed sector is no exception. As well, the very volatile Canadian dollar is making export business very risky, if the dollar cannot be locked in quickly. Remember, 85% of our forage seed exports heads south of the 49th.
With very few new seed orders, price quotes have started to back off. No one is buying right now. Creeping red fescue quotes are being quoted at 65 ¢/lb, but could move down a bit. despite the downward movement of our Canadian dollar. Fall 09’ quotes are at 70 to 75 ¢/lb. Certified creeper is being quoted 10 ¢/lb higher.
The same holds for the forage grass seed sector, most prices are starting to be pressured due to a lack of demand. Smooth bromegrass, with good inventories in North America, remain down in the 55 to 65 ¢/lb range, with certified Carlton in the 65 – 70 ¢/lb range. Meadow brome grass quotes remain strong, in the $1.60-$1.70/lb range. Certified Fleet meadow brome quotes are anywhere from $1.70 to $1.90. Common timothy quotes and are quoted at the 45 to 50 ¢/lb mark. Certified Climax timothy is quoted at a 15 to 20 ¢/lb premium.
On the legume side of thing, Sweet clover quotes are in the 40 to 50 ¢/lb range, but demand is limited. Alsike clover quotes are around 50 - ¢/lb range. Red clover quotes continue to be strong, $1.00 to $1.15/lb. Common alfalfa seed prices have backed off to the $1.20 to $1.30/lb range, as Saskatchewan managed to get their crop off, with better than expected results.
Grass and Legume Seed Prices
| Commodity | Creeping Red Fescue | Boreal C R Fescue | Smooth Brome grass | Carlton Smooth Brome grass | Meadow Brome grass | Fleet Meadow Brome grass | Timothy | Climax Timothy | Alfalfa | Red Clover | Alsike Clover | Sweet Clover |
| | Common #1 - Min 97% Pure, 85% Germ | Certified #1 | Common #1 | Certified #1 | Common #1 | Certified #1 | Common #1 | Certified #1 | Common #1 | Common #1 | Common #1 | Common #1 |
| Jan 8-07 | 45 | 47 | 110 - 115 | 140-145 | 120 - 130 | 150 - 160 | 20-25 | 40 - 45 | 90 - 95 | 65 - 70 | 25 - 30 | 25 - 30 |
| 2-Feb | 45 | 45 - 47 | 110 - 120 | 130 - 135 | 120 - 125 | 150 - 155 | 20 - 30 | 40 - 45 | 90 - 95 | 65 - 75 | 25 - 35 | 20 - 30 |
| 2-Mar | 45 | 45-52 | 115-130 | 135-140 | 120-150 | 150-160 | 20-25 | 45-50 | 90-95 | 65-75 | 25-35 | 20-30 |
| 2-Apr | 46-47 | 47-50 | 130 | 155-160 | 160-165 | 185-190 | 25-30 | 45-55 | 90-100 | 65-75 | 25-30 | 20-25 |
| 4-May | 48-50 | 50-55 | 120-130 | 150-160 | 160-165 | 180-190 | 25-30 | 45-55 | 90-100 | 65-75 | 25-30 | 20-25 |
| 28-May | 46-47 | 49-52 | 120-130 | 150-160 | 160-165 | 180-190 | 25-30 | 45-50 | 90-105 | 65-75 | 25-30 | 20-25 |
| 22-Jun | 45-46 | 47-50 | 120-130 | 150-160 | 160-165 | 180-190 | 30 | 45-50 | 90-105 | 65-75 | 25-30 | 20-25 |
| 13-Jul | 45-46 | 47-50 | 120-130 | 150-160 | 160-165 | 180-190 | 30 | 45-50 | 90-105 | 65-75 | 25-30 | 20-25 |
| 13-Aug | 42-45 | 45-50 | 100-130 | 150-160 | 150-165 | 170-190 | 25-30 | 45-50 | 100-110 | 65-75 | 25-30 | 25-30 |
| 7-Sep | 45 | 50 | 100-130 | 150-160 | 150-165 | 170-190 | 25-30 | 45-55 | 105-110 | 65-80 | 25-35 | 25-30 |
| 3-Oct | 45 | 50 | 110-130 | 150-160 | 150-165 | 170-190 | 25-35 | 45-55 | 105-115 | 65-80 | 25-35 | 25-30 |
| 7-Nov | 45 | 55-60 | 110 | 140-155 | 150-165 | 180-195 | 25-35 | 50-55 | 120-125 | 70-80 | 25-30 | 25-30 |
| 5-Dec | 45-46 | 60+ | 130 | 140-155 | 150-165 | 180-195 | 25-35 | 50-55 | 120-125 | 75-85 | 25-30 | 25-30 |
| 31-Dec | 0.5 | 75 | 130-150 | 140-155 | 150-165 | 180-195 | 25-35 | 50-55 | 120-125 | 75-85 | 25-30 | 25-30 |
| Feb 5-08 | 50 | 60 | 130-140 | 140-150 | 160-170 | 190 | 35+ | 55-60 | 120-130 | 85-100 | 35 | 25-30 |
| 11-Mar | 52-55 | 60 | 130-140 | 140-150 | 160-170 | 190 | 35-40 | 55-60 | 120-130 | 85-100 | 35-37 | 25-30 |
| 1-Apr | 55 | 60-70 | 130-140 | 140-150 | 160-170 | 190 | 35-40 | 55-60 | 120-130 | 85-100 | 35-37 | 25-30 |
| 6-May | 60 | 65-75 | 120-135 | 140-150 | 160 - 170 | 170-190 | 45-50 | 55-65 | 115-130 | 85-100 | 23-40 | 25-30 |
| 3-Jun | 62-65 | 70-75 | 120-130 | 130-145 | 160-170 | 170-190 | 50 | 60-65 | 100-120 | 85-100 | 35-45 | 30 |
| 8-Jul | 62-65 | 65 - 70 | 100-120 | 110-120 | 150-160 | 170-190 | 50 | 60-65 | 100-125 | 85-100 | 35-45 | 30 |
| 5-Aug | 65-68 | 80-90 | 85-110 | 110-120 | 150-160 | 170-190 | 50 | 65-70 | 100-125 | 85-100 | 35-45 | 30 |
| 2-Sep | 65-68 | 80-85 | 55-65 | 65-70 | 150-170 | 170 -190 | 50-55 | 65-75 | 100-125 | 90-110 | 45-50 | 45-55 |
| 29-Sep | 65 | 80 | 55-60 | 65-70 | 165-170 | 170-190 | 50 | 65-70 | 120-140 | 100-110 | 50-60 | 40-50 |
| 4-Nov | 62-65 | 75-80 | 55-60 | 65-70 | 165-170 | 170-190 | 45-50 | 65-70 | 120-130 | 100-115 | 45-50 | 40-50 |
Prices are quotes only, until actual orders come in, that's when firm pricing is established
- prices in ¢/lb
last updated: Nov 4, 08 |
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