Our Industry: Grains - Rye

RYE

What It Is, How It's Marketed
and How It's Used

Rye is a cereal grain.

It is believed that rye originated in southwestern Asia about 6500 B.C. It migrated westward across the Balkan Peninsula into Europe.

Today, rye still is grown extensively in Europe, Asia and North America. The plant thrives on high altitudes. It has the greatest winter hardiness of all the small grains, growing as far north as the Arctic Circle!

Today, rye is a relatively minor crop in the United States. Its production has declined steadily since 1987-88, when the United States produced 20 million bushels, to the current level of about 10 million to 12 million bushels annually. That represents only about 1 percent of total world production.

The major world producers of rye are: the Commonwealth of Independent States, which grows more than half of the world's total; Poland; and Germany. Rye also is grown in Argentina, Turkey, The Netherlands, Spain, Hungary, France, Austria and Denmark.

Of the rye used each year in the United States:

• about 50 percent is used as livestock feed;
  
• about 20 percent is consumed as food;
  
• about 19 percent is used as seed;
  
• about 10 percent is allocated for industrial uses; and
  
• a fraction of 1 percent is exported.

The Types of Rye

There are three basic classes of rye, depending on their kernel size:

Long grain;

Medium grain; and

Short grain.

Rye -- Stages of Life

Rye is grown mainly in areas where the climate and soil are relatively unfavorable for other cereal grains, such as wheat. It also is grown as a winter crop where the temperatures are too cool for winter wheat.

Planting: Typically, rye is planted in the fall between September and December, much like winter wheat. The field is first cultivated and plowed. The seeds then are planted with a standard grain drill. Some rye also is planted in the spring for harvesting in the fall.

Growing: Rye is the most hardy of the cereal grains. The seed germinates at temperatures that are at or close to freezing (32 degrees, F.). When winter temperatures drop below freezing, the rye plant becomes dormant. As temperatures warm in the spring, the rye plant grows and produces grain.

At first glance, growing fields of rye and wheat may look fairly similar. But a closer examination reveals that rye typically has a more bluish-green color in its vegetative state than wheat. In addition, rye plants are taller, typically ranging from four to six feet.

Harvesting: The rye plant develops two or more spikelets bearing florets that develop the kernels. Like other small cereal grains, rye is harvested with a combine, usually in June and early July -- about the same time as winter wheat.

However, very little rye that is planted is actually harvested. In fact, about two-thirds of rye acreage that is planted is left to grow as pasture for livestock grazing, or for use as a cover crop to protect against erosion. Rye fields provide excellent winter pasture for livestock grazing, such as cattle. In the spring, the farmer decides whether to continue allowing the rye to be grazed, or to stop the grazing so that it can mature into a grain crop.

Rye - Its Journey to Market

Since most of the rye grown in the United States is used for grazing or as a cover crop, it is never marketed.

Of the remaining crop, the producer may decide to sell it to the country elevator located near the farm. If sold to a country elevator, the elevator determines the quality of the rye before cleaning, drying, storing and conditioning it. The country elevator also is where the farmer typically obtains the supplies - such as seed, fertilizer and chemicals - needed to grow the crop.

The elevator then sells the barley to a food processor, such as a flour miller or baker (if it is to be used for food) or to an animal feed manufacturer (if it is to be used for feed).

When entering into a contract for rye, the buyer and seller agree on the price, quantity and quality of grain to be delivered; and the price discounts and premiums that will apply if the actual rye delivered is of a higher or lower quality than requested. The buyer and seller also agree o how the grain is to be shipped (truck or rail).

Rye - How It's Transformed into Useful Products

Rye is high in carbohydrates and provides small quantities of protein, potassium and Vitamin B. Of the rye that is harvested, most is milled for:

• Flour
• Coarse rye meals, and
• Flakes

Rye is the only cereal grain other than wheat to have the necessary qualities to make bread.

In fact, you might think that "rye bread" is made entirely from rye. But in reality, only about one-third of the ingredients in rye bread is rye. That's because rye flour is very heavy and dense. It also does not contain enough gluten to produce the porous, light-textured breads that consumers prefer. So, in the baking process rye flour is mixed with wheat and/or corn flour and other ingredients to make what is commonly called rye bread.

A great percentage of rye flour is found in "pumpernickel bread." And, because of its dark color, a loaf made entirely from rye flour is called "black bread."

Other human food uses of rye are as:

• Cereals;
• Snack crackers; and
• A filer in prepared soups, custards and sauces.

A relatively small percentage of rye also is used as:

• A flavor ingredient in various malts.
  
  
• A livestock feed. Rye is high-energy ingredient in feed, usually as part of a mixture. Although the kernel of rye has high nutritional value for livestock, the rye plant itself does not, supplying mainly roughage.

Rye also has several industrial uses. The starch from rye flour is a major ingredient in commercial adhesives, such as glue. The tough and fibrous straw from rye is used less for feed than for litter, bedding or packaging material. Rye also is used for thatching, mattresses, hats and paper.

Click here to view map of "Rye Growing Areas"