Ryegrass is used for lawns, pasture, and hay for livestock, while winter rye is used as a cover crop, forage crop, or as a grain that is used to make flour, beer, some whiskey and vodkas, or can be eaten whole as boiled rye berries or rolled like rolled oats.

What do farmers do with rye?

Rye (Secale cereale) is a grass grown extensively as a grain, a cover crop and a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe (Triticeae) and is closely related to both wheat (Triticum) and barley (genus Hordeum). Rye grain is used for flour, bread, beer, crispbread, some whiskeys, some vodkas, and animal fodder.

Why do farmers plant winter rye?

Why Plant Rye? Winter rye (Secale cereale) can be used as a cover crop after corn silage to protect against soil erosion, and in parts of Wisconsin is recommended by conservation planners.