While the world's attention has been fixed on the 2026 FIFA World Cup unfolding across the United States, a quiet source of hometown pride has been growing in the fields of Madras and Culver: the grass beneath the world's best soccer players' feet was grown right here in Jefferson County.

Kentucky Bluegrass seed produced by Jefferson County farmers is being used at multiple World Cup stadiums across the country, according to reporting from Central Oregon Daily News and the Oregon Seed Council. It's a connection most fans watching the matches would never know about — but for local farmers, it represents decades of expertise paying off on the biggest stage in sports.

Oregon's Grass Seed Dominance

Oregon produces approximately 70% of the world's Kentucky Bluegrass seed supply. Jefferson County, with its volcanic soil, irrigation infrastructure, and climate ideal for cool-season grasses, is one of the state's most productive grass seed regions. The county's seed growers association has long represented multi-generational farming families who have made the high desert their home and their livelihood.

Around 40% of the 16 World Cup stadiums are playing on turf grown from Oregon seed, according to the Oregon Seed Council. FIFA regulations prevent the public disclosure of exactly which stadiums are using which seed sources, but the volume is significant.

A Jefferson County Legacy

Grass seed farming in Jefferson County dates back to the 1940s, when irrigation water was first delivered to the region. Families like the Klann and Macy families — now into their seventh and eighth generations of farming in Jefferson County — helped build the industry into what it is today.

The seed grown here doesn't just become turf. Jefferson County and Central Oregon bluegrass ends up in golf courses, parks, athletic fields, and now World Cup stadiums across the globe. It's a $100+ million annual industry for the region.

"It's a huge source of pride," one seed industry representative told Oregon media. "We've been growing this grass for generations, and now the whole world is watching it."

A Quiet Kind of Famous

Jefferson County doesn't always make national news. But this summer, while billions of people watch the World Cup, the ground those matches are played on carries a piece of the high desert in it. That's worth knowing — and worth celebrating.

The Jefferson County Seed Growers Association can be found at jeffcoseed.com for more information on the industry and its local member farms.