Demand for Oats on the Rise

Ada, MN — Cereal grains have been a staple of the region for a long time. As crops like corn and soybeans have gown in popularity and price, small grains were pushed further west. University of Minnesota Extension agronomist for small grains Jochum Wiersma says Minnesota has a rich history in grains.

Many producers still grow spring and winter wheat, barley, and oats but some of those grains have decreased in acreage significantly. Farmers who still grow oats typically raise it for grain feed use or as a cover or hay crop because elevator prices are not very profitable. But Wiersma says oats are getting popular again.

Most oats are imported for food use, and the drought that extends into Canada is a concern for this year’s crop but creates potential moving forward.

Producers continue to look for crops to rotate in the field or other cash crop opportunities and oats seems to be an option to consider.