Advance Reservation Program

NYSIP offers a selection of small grain seed for sale each year in our Advance Reservation program, currently with a focus on oats, wheat, barley, and rye. The Cornell Foundation Seed program manages increases and distribution of new varieties released by the Cornell Small Grains program. Additionally we will bring in promising varieties from Foundation seed programs in other states.

Qualified growers may place grain orders by filling out an order form and paying a deposit of $3/bushel. We take orders approximately one year in advance so that we can plan our production fields and out-of-state orders.

Orders are picked up from NYSIP Foundation Seed Plant (791 Dryden Rd/RT 366, Ithaca, NY) or delivery can be arranged. Typically orders are packed in 1920 lb mini-bulks, though we can also package seed in bushel bags for an additional fee.

NYSIP does not currently operate a comparable Foundation program for potato seed. Up until 2020, this was the job of the Cornell Foundation Seed Potato Farm in Lake Placid, NY but this facility was closed. Varieties released by the Cornell Potato Breeding Program are often available soon after release by NY Certified Seed Potato growers.

Program parameters:

• Order forms with accompanying deposit payment received prior the due date will receive a 5% discount on the final balance.
• If a particular Foundation Seed lot is in short supply (due to crop failure, for example), orders placed before the due date will be assured of a pro-rata share of the crop produced.
• Orders received after the due date will be honored on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.
• Foundation Seed ordered through this program cannot be resold – it must be used only by the party placing the order or by their qualified contract grower(s).
• If you missed the advance order deadline, please contact us to inquire about additional availability

Fall Grain Varieties for Fall 2026 Delivery

Download: 2025 FALL GRAINS ADVANCE ORDER FORM – 2026 DELIVERY
Download: 2025 FALL GRAINS VARIETY DESCRIPTIONS

WINTER BARLEY

NEW! “LakeEffect” WINTER MALTING BARLEY is a two-row winter malting barley released in 2025 exclusively by the Cornell Small Grains Program. LakeEffect is an outstanding performer in the field and on the malting floor. In two-year regional trials LakeEffect has produced larger yields than either of its parents (SY Tepee, Lightning), has an impressive resilience to scald and powdery mildew, and the highest level of resistance to Fusarium head blight and its associated contamination of grain by the fungal toxin DON. LakeEffect has a medium (30”) stature with good lodging resistance. Importantly, LakeEffect has a malting profile that the maltsters desire, offering strong malt extract potential (82%), high kernel weight, low beta-glucan level (63 ppm), and well-balanced protein levels (9.6%), all key attributes for quality brewing and distilling. $0.06/lb research assessment.

“Lightning” WINTER MALTING BARLEY (DH130910) is a two-row facultative malting barley co-released by Oregon State University and the Cornell Small Grains Program. Lightning was bred for fall-planting, but it will flower under spring-planted conditions as well. Lightning has passed its first year of the American Malting Barley Association (AMBA) pilot scale program, being rated as satisfactory. In New York, over three years of statewide winter barley trials, Lightning grain yields are 9% above the mean of current check varieties, KWS Scala and Endeavor. It was similar to KWS Scala for height and 4 inches shorter than Endeavor. In New York, Lightning is equal to KWS Scala for winter survival and more winter hardy than Endeavor. Lightning is resistant to scald and Fusarium Head Scab. $0.06/lb research assessment.

“KWS Scala” WINTER MALTING BARLEY is a two rowed winter malting barley developed by KWS Lochow GMBH. KWS Scala is an early maturing variety, 4 days earlier than Wintmalt, and is 2 cm shorter than Wintmalt. In four years of testing in the Cornell University Winter Barley Summary, Scala has been amongst the highest yielding varieties about 12 bu per acre more than Wintmalt. Intermediate tolerance to Leaf Rust and Powdery Mildew but is susceptible to BYDV and powdery mildew. KWS Scala is a U.S. Plant Protected Variety (PVPA 1994) to be sold by variety name only as a class of certified seed. $0.06/lb production assessment.

WINTER WHEAT

NEW! “Enterprise” WINTER WHEAT is an awnless, soft red winter wheat that NYSIP brought in and licensed from Ohio Seed Improvement Association in 2024 to expand soft red winter wheat options for New York growers. It is a high-yielding, has an excellent test weight, and is early-maturing. Enterprise has good disease resistance to scab, leaf rust, and stripe rust. At maturity, Enterprise has yellow-green heads, yellow anthers, tan glumes, an erect flag leaf and is medium-tall. Variants observed at 1% included tall and awned heads. May be sold only as a class of Certified Seed. U.S. Plant Protected Variety application has been submitted. This variety has a $0.05/lb assessment.

NEW! “Scioto” WINTER WHEAT is an apically awnletted soft red winter wheat that NYSIP  brought in and licensed from Ohio Foundation Seeds in 2024 to expand soft red winter wheat options for New York growers. Scioto is a high performing variety with an excellent test weight, excellent scab resistance and great winter hardiness. It matures medium-early with an erect-twisted flag leaf, green heads, and a medium-short height (30”). Variants observed at 0.5% with tall and/or awned heads. May be sold only as a class of Certified Seed. U.S. Plant Protected Variety application has been submitted. This variety has a $0.05/lb assessment.

“Erie” WINTER WHEAT (OH02-12686) – Erie is a tan chaffed, awnless soft red winter wheat germplasm release by Ohio State University that has excelled in Cornell trials. It is high yielding. Milling quality is lower than recent Ohio varieties, but acceptable in New York. It has a unique combination of strong resistance to many fungal diseases, including excellent resistance to FHB including having low DON accumulation. Erie is a Quality Assurance variety with two generations (Parent and commercial). $0.02/LB royalty.

“Towpath” WINTER WHEAT (NY99056-161) is an awned, white-chaffed, soft white winter wheat released by Cornell University. Grain yield is higher compared to Caledonia and Medina. Test weight is good to excellent. Good lodging resistance and winter hardiness. Towpath has the highest level of resistance to Fusarium Head Blight (scab) of any variety grown in NY and is rated as moderately resistant. Towpath is resistant to Wheat Spindle Streak Mosaic Virus and moderately resistant to powdery mildew. Towpath has satisfactory milling and baking properties. It is moderately susceptible to pre-harvest sprouting. This line will be offered to the New York seed industry as a non-exclusive release variety with Breeder, Foundation, and Certified classes. $0.06/lb research assessment.

RYE

“Aroostook” RYE is a joint release between USDA, Cornell University and the Maine Department of Agriculture. Especially selected for its characteristic late fall prostrate growth and early spring vigor, AROOSTOOK serves as an important cover crop variety. The area of adaptation extends from Northern Maine throughout the Northeast and Middle Atlantic States. AROOSTOOK has a Registered Class.

Spring Grain Varieties for Spring 2026 Delivery

Download: 2025 SPRING GRAINS ADVANCE ORDER FORM – 2026 DELIVERY
Download: 2025 SPRING GRAINS VARIETY DESCRIPTIONS

SPRING BARLEY

“Excelsior Gold” MALTING BARLEY (CU31) is the first variety of two-row spring malting barley released by the Cornell Small Grains Program/Cornell University. Excelsior Gold is derived from a cross between AAC Synergy and Craft. In four years of testing, it has yielded 64 bu/a, 7 bu/a lower grain yield than AAC Synergy and 1 bu/a lower than Newdale and ND Genesis. Excelsior Gold has had very low lodging in the past four years of trials and is resistant to preharvest sprouting with a score of 2.5 compared to 5.2 for AAC Synergy. Excelsior Gold is highly resistant to spot blotch and is moderately susceptible to Fusarium head blight. It has satisfactory malting properties comparable to the high malting quality line AAC Synergy and has somewhat elevated beta-glucan, moderate grain protein and good malt extract. There is a $0.06/lb research assessment on Excelsior Gold.

“HudsonNY” MALTING BARLEY (CU198) a two-row spring malting barley developed by the Cornell Small Grains Program was derived from a cross between AAC Synergy and KWSTinka. In five years of testing, it has averaged 70 bu/a, 1 bu/a lower grain yield than AAC Synergy, 5 bu/a higher than Newdale, and 5 bu/a higher than ND Genesis. Resistance to spot blotch is moderate and over four years this line is moderately susceptible to Fusarium head blight. HudsonNY has been evaluated for malting quality for four years and has satisfactory malting properties comparable or superior to the high malting quality line AAC Synergy. Lodging has been very low in the CSGP spring malting barley trials the past four years. There is a $0.06/lb research assessment on HudsonNY.

OATS

“Hayden” OATS – A mid to late maturing variety with excellent yield potential and high test weight developed by South Dakota State University. Hayden has performed well in the two years it has been entered in the Small Grains Performance trials for New York. Hayden is resistant to smut, moderately resistant to barley yellow dwarf virus and moderately susceptible to crown and stem rust. There is a $.30 per bushel research fee on the sales of Certified Hayden. Hayden has a non- saleable Registered class. Hayden is a U.S. Plant Protected Variety (PVPA 1994) to be sold by variety name only as a class of certified seed.

“Steuben” OATS (MN 09255) – White oat developed by the University of Minnesota from a cross between SA050128/ND 020965. Plant height is about 88 cm compared to 78 cm for Corral and 86cm for Hayden. Heading date is two days later than Hayden and three days later than Corral. Steuben has good lodging resistance, slightly more than Hayden but less than Corral. Steuben is resistant to current races of Crown rust. Steuben yields about three bushels less than Hayden but seven bushels more than Corral. Steuben has the highest test weight, 36.7 pounds per bushel, of our current varieties, this is 4.6 pounds per bushel more than Corral and 1.2 pounds per bushel more than Hayden. Plant variety protection will not be sought. Steuben has a research assessment of $0.40 per bushel.