Cereal rye in Kentucky is known as a cover or silage crop.  On-farm research through the Kentucky Commercial Rye Cover Crop Initiative is being conducted to test agronomic practices to demonstrate if Kentucky can be a reliable source of rye for distillers, millers and bakers.   Temperature and humidity are two climate parameters which greatly affect quality and yield during pollination and grain fill.  To record these parameters, the Taylor County Extension Service purchased a weather station and placed it at the pilot project field on a producer’s farm in Taylor County.   

The agriculture agent, in cooperation with the producer, is recording data and making agronomic notes as to help gather information for the initiative.

Hopefully, the rye initiative will prove quality rye can be grown in Kentucky in a profitable and sustainable manner.  Producers need alternate crops to further diversify and furnish end users Kentucky rye.