Yesterday Mike Krueger commented on how U.S. barley and oats production has suffered (see Ag Perspectives, 27 November) as those so-called minor feed grains have lost planted area to more profitable crops. This transition accelerated in recent years with U.S. corn and soybean production expanding to the north and west into the traditional northern Plains small grain country, a move augmented by the development of corn and soybean seeds that can produce reasonably good crops in areas where the growing season is short and rainfall less plentiful. As Mike pointed out, this has caused supplies of barley and oats to tighten nearly to the point of becoming a problem. The other minor U.S. feed grain is grain sorghum, although it is a good deal le...

TAGS – Feed Grains, China, North America