Illinois, USA
June 27, 2019
Source: Illinois Crop Improvement Association
It has come to our attention that “feed oats,” or oats from the grain channel, are being used as seed. Weed seed potential in feed oats is high and the germination expectation in feed oats is low. A small batch of feed oats was screened and a 50 gram sample of the cleanout was analyzed. The sample analyzed by the Illinois Crop Improvement Association required over 3 hours of work by its analysts and Registered Seed Technologists (RST). The following results represent the potential weed seed in approximately 5 bushels of feed oats.
Other Crop Seeds and Number Found:
- Alfalfa – 1
- Kentucky Bluegrass – 1
- Timothy – 2
- Black Medic – 1
- Sweet Clover – 1
- Red Fescue – 1
- Lettuce – 2
- Slender Wheatgrass – 1
- Italian Millet - 1
Common Weed Seeds and Number Found:
- Night-Flower Catchfly – 16
- Witchgrass – 91
- Green Foxtail – 4,106
- Yellow Foxtail – 957
- Lambsquarter – 91
- Prostrate Knotweed – 1
- Lady’s Thumb – 2
- Foxtail Barley – 4
- Marsh-elder – 54
- American Sloughgrass – 14
- Strong Scented Stinkgrass – 27
- American Dragonhead – 1
- Pennsylvania Smartweed – 2
Noxious Weed Seeds and Number Found (IL Noxious and All State Noxious):
- Rape – 28 IL Restricted and All State
- Russian Thistle – 118 All State
- Quackgrass – 4 IL Restricted and All State
- Kochia – 523 All State
- Canada Thistle – 2 IL Prohibited and All State
- Wild Sunflower – 2 All State
- Curly Dock – 1 All State
- Barnyardgrass – 451 All State
- Wild Buckwheat – 16 All State
- Large Crabgrass – 1 All State
- Pennycress – 2 All State
- Amaranthus spp. – 42 All State (palmer amaranth molecular tests in progress)
In addition to the quality issues that can be found in feed oats planting a protected variety under the US Plant Variety Protection (PVP) Act, or similar patent protection, is against the law. PVP enforcement on wheat varieties sold as cover crop raised the awareness level of elevators in Oklahoma and surrounding states in the early to mid-2000s. Famers illegally selling protected varieties have been sued by variety owners for damage. The most recent case of note resulted in a $2,975,000 judgement against James Fevold, an Iowa farmer, in favor of the South Dakota Board of Regents. When looking for any cover crop seed always consider the ultimate cost of weed-seed, germination and legal issues. To avoid such issues the Illinois Crop Improvement Association recommends purchasing seed of any kind from a reputable seed company with seed production and seed cleaning facilities.
Illinois Crop Improvement Association, Inc. - In the early 1920’s the Ag Experiment Station and University of Illinois faculty and administrators were instrumental in establishing Illinois Crop as a freestanding, non-profit corporation to provide seed certification and crop improvement services in support of the state’s agricultural economy. The vehicle chosen to positively affect the state's agricultural viability has been quality seed and, consequently, the grain derived from quality seed. Illinois Crop, being an independent service provider, develops and offers a wide range of technical and service programs throughout the greater food and agriculture system. For more information contact Doug Miller, CEO at 217-377-3409.
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