Teff (Xaafii) touted as new cash crop

New potential cash crop being discussed

Teff, an Ethiopian cereal grain, touted as new cash crop

By: DENISE A. RAYMO
Staff Writer

February 27, 2007

MALONE — Teff, a hearty grass grown primarily in Ethiopia as a cereal grain, has the potential to be a high-quality horse feed and forage grass for dairy cows in northern New York.

Results of a two-year study on the promising cash crop will be presented to farmers and growers in six counties as part of the 11th-annual North Country Crop Congress, to be held Wednesday, March 14, in Carthage and Thursday, March 15, in Canton.

Peter Barney, a field-crop educator from the St. Lawrence County extension office in Canton, and his counterpart in Jefferson County, Michael Hunter, will present regional field-crop research on teff.

PROMISING TESTS
Barney said it was grown during the past 24 months at the extension's farm in Canton, in Jefferson County and in Rensselaer County to test its durability and adaptability.

"We're looking at it, and a number of other states are doing this, like Oregon and Idaho. It's becoming popular around the country.

"Our results have been very positive," Barney said. "It is capable of producing high tonnages of quality grass and can be planted as late as July.

"It's very drought tolerant and is tolerant to wet conditions. It can be planted late in the year, used as part of a rotation-pasture system and as a high-quality horse hay.

"The seeds are very, very small," he said, estimating that four to five pounds would sow an acre of land.

"It costs about $4 a pound, so it's going to be economical to grow, and that's part of the information we're going to present," he said.

FOOD USES
According to information gleaned from the Web site of the Center for New Crops and Plant Products at Purdue University, teff grain is usually ground into flour, fermented and made into a type of flat, sourdough bread.

It can also be eaten as porridge or as an ingredient for home-brewed alcoholic drinks.

Tiny teff seeds can be substituted in recipes for baked goods that call for seeds, nuts or small grains.

Less teff would be used in the recipe since, for example, a half-cup can replace a full cup of sesame seeds.

The Web site states that when cooked, teff has a molasses-like sweetness. It adds body to puddings and could be used as a thickener for soup, stews and gravy.

It contains no gluten, is rich in calcium, iron and thiamin and is considered a good source of protein, carbohydrates and fiber.

Ethiopians also use teff straw to reinforce mud or plaster in building construction.

More details about teff's potential as silage for cattle and its responses to different weather conditions, soils and other factors will be shared at the Crop Congress.

GOOD FEED
Barney said the seed producers he has visited in Oregonnation said the market for teff is slow right now, except for a growing number of Ethiopians living in the United States who seek it out as a delicacy.

But local growers could expect fields of strong grass for cow forage and horse hay.

"Horses don't need a lot of protein, but teff has a fine texture. It's not a dusty grass," Barney said.

Dusty grass or feed could become moldy and cause a horse to develop breathing problems and dry heaves, which is different from the ailment of the same name that humans get.

"We're just realizing what a good feed value it is," he said, adding that Cooperative Extension's research will extend for a few more years.

"We'll continue to look at it at during different (growth) phases for its fragility, its yield and quality data," Barney said.

"We'd like to add to the knowledge we gained these last two years."

MANAGING WEEDS
This is the 11th year Cooperative Extension has sponsored the Crop Congress. For years, Cornell University held the meetings for field-crop dealers and other interested parties.

But when the training and discussions were to be phased out locally and held farther south, the St. Lawrence County office — Barney, in particular — revived the event here.

"We felt it would be too much of a loss, so we established our own all-day meeting," which covers a range of agriculture-related topics.

In addition to teff, this year's Crop Congress will also include creative weed-management techniques, nitrogen needs for a variety of crops and the findings of an extensive study on 42 varieties of corn.

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