Native Seed Availability and Economics

Native Seed Availability and
Economics
Keith Pawelek
Species Currently Available?
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La Salle Germplasm Arizona cottontop
Dilley Germplasm slender grama
Catarina Blend Bristlegrass
Webb Germplasm whiplash pappusgrass
Maverick Germplasm pink pappusgrass
Chaparral Germplasm hairy grama
Atascosa Germplasm Texas grama
Falfurrias Germplasm big sacaton
Kinney Germplasm false rhodesgrass
Mariah Germplasm hooded windmillgrass
Welder Germplasm shortspike windmillgrass
Lavaca Germplasm Canada Wildrye
Seed availability depends on current orders, growing season, and production acreage
Seed Mixes
Cost per acre
Variety/Species
Cost per acre
Laredo ® Brand Buffelgrass
$36.00
Selection 75 Kleingrass
$25.50
Turner Seed Company pipeline mix
$25.00
Native American Seed Western Rangeland $168
Grass Mix
Native American Seed Coastal Prairie Mix
$232.00
Douglass King Seed Company- Kings
Native Rangeland Grass Mix
$150.00
Bamert Seed Company- Quick Cover
Blend
$76.30
South Texas Natives Recommended Grass
Mix
$130.00
STN/NRCS Mix for Western South Texas
$60.00
South Texas Natives released Seed
Mixes
• Cost
$60-130/acre
• Mixes are about ½ cost of comparable wildharvested seed mixes
• Cost is about 2-3 time cost of exotic grass seed
mixes
Cost Comparison To 1961
Species/variety
1961 cost
1961 cost with
inflation added for
today
2011 cost
Buffelgrass
$1.25
$9.19
$9.00
Lehman Lovegrass
$3.40
$25.01
$9.50
Sideoats Grama
$1.00
$7.35
$9.50
Switchgrass
$13.80
$101.50
$16.00
• Today's cost are high due to early stage
production cost and investment into new
species, prices are expected to drop as
production and sales increase
• Paying more for what works saves money in
the long run
• Prices have already seen decreases in less
than 2 years of commercial production
Sales Figures
Figures below are from just 2 seed companies
2010
2011-Jan-Aug
lbs/pls sold
• Bulk lbs.
2,500 lbs
3,850 lbs
Sales to date
3,800 lbs
Pending
1,962 lbs
6,182 lbs
• More sales will result in lower prices, as more release are made
more diverse mixes will be available. Increased sales are needed
to prove that the demand will warrant more seed production.
• Current production capacity is seed for approximately 11,000
acres/year
Where does the money go in a mix?
• Using different mixes can change cost
drastically
• Species that are hard to produce are generally
sold at a higher price to compensate
additional expenses used to produce the
species
• Due to recommend seeding rates seed
size/weight can influence price
Why does it cost more to plant mixes?
• New Idea
• Calibrations are a little more intense
• Not everyone has the equipment
to plant fluffy complex mixes
Cost associated with Planting
• Disking
• Offset
• Brush work
$20 per acre
$30 per acre
$200-250 per acre
– Double Chaining-$25, Root Plowing-$90, Stacking-$25, Root Raking-$30
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Roller Chopping
Deep Plowing
Planting with drill
Aerial Seeding
Broadcast Seeding
$25-40 per acre
$40 per acre
$30 per acre
$20 per acre
$15 per acre
Prices vary depending on location and site issues
Crop land Conversion
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Cropland coming out of production
Disking
$20/acre
Planting
$30/acre
Seed
$60-125/acre
Total investment
$110-175/acre
Pasture Work
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Deep Plowing if possible $40/acre
Disking twice
$40/acre
Planting
$30/acre
Seed
$60-$125/acre
Total investment
$ 170-$235/acre
Brush Work
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Brush work
Offset disking
Disking
Planting
Seed
Total Investment
$200-250/acre
$30/ acre
$20/acre
$30/acre
$60-125/acre
$340-455/acre
Roller Chopping to improve existing
vegetation
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Roller Chopping
Aerial Seeding
Seeding at ½ - full rate
Total Investment
$25-40/acre
$20/acre
$35-125/acre
$80-185/acre
Pipeline/Pad site planting
• Planting Drill/Broadcast
• Seed
• Total Investment
$30-165/acre
$60-125/acre
$90-290/acre
Cost can vary depending on site preparation.
Summary
• Native Seed Cost for South Texas Mixes
$60-$130.00 per acre
• Cost of native seed is a minimum of two times
the price of exotic seed
• Native seed price will improve some, however,
with the current demand it might take a while
• Current availability is sporadic due to the age
of the market in South Texas
Questions?