Hybrid Winter Rye

The hybrid winter rye project explored the potential of using this crop as a sustainability lever for large-scale cropping systems and the hog value chain in Quebec. In Quebec hog production, feed and corn in particular contributes significantly to environmental impacts. The partial replacement of corn with hybrid winter rye therefore represents a promising pathway to reduce these impacts. Well suited to corn-soybean rotations, this crop also offers recognized agronomic and environmental benefits.

The project aimed to document the agronomic, economic, and environmental benefits of this still relatively uncommon but promising crop for grain producers and hog producers in Quebec.

The work combined:

1. A scientific literature review.
2. An economic analysis of rotations integrating hybrid winter rye.
3. An environmental assessment using life cycle analysis.

The work carried out delivered particularly promising results in 2025:

• The corn-soybean-hybrid winter rye rotation emits 25% fewer greenhouse gas emissions per hectare per year than a corn-soybean rotation.
• Replacing 25% of corn with hybrid winter rye in hog feed reduces emissions by 5% per kilogram of pork produced.
• The profitability of the corn-soybean-rye rotation becomes slightly higher starting in the second rotation cycle, with gains increasing in the third cycle.
• Hybrid winter rye provides economic margins comparable to winter wheat, while delivering significant environmental benefits.

This project was led by Université Laval and funded by the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ) under the “Programme de développement territorial et sectoriel
2023-2026, volet 2”. It was carried out in collaboration with the Centre de développement du porc du Québec (CDPQ), the Centre de recherche sur les grains (CÉROM), Forest Lavoie Conseil, Groupe Cérès, KWS, Les Éleveurs de porcs du Québec.