Winter Camelina Open House Field Day:

Transforming Food, Fuel and Feed in Minnesota

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Waseca, MN. -- The University of Minnesota Forever Green Initiative and the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) invite processors, food entrepreneurs, culinary professionals, growers, and the curious public to an open house event at the Southern Research and Outreach Center 12298 350th Avenue, Waseca, MN. Throughout the event, scheduled for June 27, 2018, attendees will learn about winter camelina, an exciting new oilseed crop currently in the research and development phase, which has the potential to transform food, fuel and feed in Minnesota.

Winter camelina (Camelina sativa) has a long history as an oil seed crop with great potential for use as a cash cover crop to both protect soil and water while providing economic benefits to farmers in the Upper Midwest.

University of Minnesota and USDA-ARS lead current research efforts for camelina, which show it produces a high quality, edible oil with high levels of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acid and vitamin E when pressed. Furthermore, the seed meal remaining after oil processing is useful as a nutritious FDA-approved livestock feed. The Forever Green Initiative at the University of Minnesota is working closely with corporate partners such as General Mills, Inc., to explore camelina for healthy food-use applications in their commercial products.

The Field Day event will highlight current research and work underway to launch camelina into Minnesota’s agricultural landscape. Visitors will see camelina growing in the field and learn from UMN agronomists best production practices. In addition, an oil press, provided by AURI, will press camelina seed to show how the oil and meal is extracted and the UMN Food Science department will be on-hand talking about the many potential opportunities for end-uses of camelina oil and meal.

Visitors are welcome to stop in anytime between 9:30AM and 12:30 PM on June 27th to explore and learn. Visitors who want a more in-depth understanding of camelina can participate in a guided tour. The first will begin at 10am with the second starting at 11:30. A meal will be served from 12:30 - 1:30 and will feature a menu item that includes camelina oil.

The event hosts request all attendees register for the event and tours beforehand in order to plan for meals and parking. Please register by simply clicking the registration button below.  For more information contact Connie Carlson at 612-709-6790 or e-mail her at carl5114@umn.edu. Inquiries can also be sent to:  the Southern Research and Outreach Center 12298 350th Avenue Waseca, MN 56093.

This event is made possible by generous support from the USDA: AFRI, NRCS, CIG, NIFA and NCR - SARE.  

ABOUT FOREVER GREEN: The Forever Green Initiative focuses on high-efficiency agriculture, cropping systems with continuous living cover, and perennial crops. Forever Green is a collaborative effort of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS), Center for Integrated Natural Resources and Agricultural Management (CINRAM), and the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA); with major funding support from the Minnesota Legislature, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and USDA-NIFA.

ABOUT AURI: The mission of the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute is to foster long-term economic benefit for Minnesota through value-added agricultural products. It accomplishes this by helping develop new uses for agricultural products through science and technology, while partnering with businesses and entrepreneurs to bring ideas to reality.

Register Now!