Market Trends of north america forage seed Industry
Rising cattle populations and growing demand from the forage seed market have led to an increase in the cultivation area
- The major forage crops grown in North America include alfalfa, forage corn, and forage sorghum. Forage crops accounted for about 13.9% of the region's total cultivation area in 2022. The total forage area increased by about 6.6% between 2017 and 2022. This increase could be mainly attributed to the increased demand for the quality forage requirement from dairy farmers or other livestock sectors.
- The United States held the largest area under forage crops in North America, with about 14.3 million hectares, accounting for about 60.1% of the region's forage crop area in 2022. This was mainly attributed to the high demand for the forage crops in the country due to the large livestock sector. For instance, there were about 89.3 million heads of cattle and calves in US farms as of 2022. This large livestock population is anticipated to drive the overall forage cultivation in the country.
- Alfalfa is the major forage crop cultivated in the region; it had a cultivation area of about 11.5 million hectares in 2022. The large cultivation area of alfalfa was mainly due to the well-suitable soil and climatic conditions for the crop and higher returns. Moreover, the commercial cultivation of transgenic (GM) alfalfa with various improved traits such as herbicide tolerance, antibiotic resistance, and altered lignin content in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Mexico has been approved. This is anticipated to encourage the farmers to cultivate alfalfa crops in the region.
- The increasing demand for the various livestock industries and the large livestock population in countries such as the United States are the major factors anticipated to drive the overall forage crop acreage during the forecast period.
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The adoption of disease-resistant, insect-resistant, and drought-resistant alfalfa seeds for high yield during adverse climatic conditions is rising
- Alfalfa is a major forage crop cultivated in North America. The high-demand traits of alfalfa are disease resistance, insect resistance, and wider adaptability for improving the quality of the feed/silage for the livestock industry. Wider adaptability was the largest trait adopted by growers as there have been changes in weather conditions and demand for high yields with early maturity. Furthermore, other traits such as increasing protein content, growing throughout the seasons, and reducing lignin content are expected to gain popularity in the future, increasing forage quality.
- Popular traits of Alfalfa include disease resistance to wilts and root rots, wider adaptability to different seasons and soil conditions, drought tolerance, and resistance to insects and nematodes. For instance, major companies offering and marketing the traits of alfalfa varieties are Ampac Seed Company (Attention II), KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaG (HarvXtra, Standfast), Bayer Crop Science (Roundup-Ready), Syngenta AG (NEXGROW), and DLF (Fortune) for resistance to diseases such as Colletotrichum trifolii and Verticillium wilt.
- Drought tolerance is the second-most popular trait among growers, as states such as Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Oregon have been experiencing severe drought since 2022. About 12% of the land in these states was experiencing extreme drought in 2023. Therefore, the drought-tolerant trait is expected to gain popularity during the forecast period.
- Factors such as the increased demand for improving animal feed and a large number of benefits such as resistance to diseases and increasing yield are expected to drive the market's growth in the region.
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OTHER KEY INDUSTRY TRENDS COVERED IN THE REPORT
- Hybrid breeding dominates the North American forage seed market due to its ability to enhance the productivity, quality, and disease resistance of forage crops
