Why Oilseed Crops?
We are encouraging local farmers to cultivate Camelina, an oilseed member of the mustard family, which grows well in the marginal agricultural lands of Eastern Washington and requires minimal management. Some of the benefits of growing oilseed crops include: • Camelina is a hardy plant which releases a very high oil yield when crushed. It can be grown in the Inland Northwest with minimal effort on managed soil. • Camelina’s crushed meal can be an effective soil amendment and should soon be federally approved for livestock usage. • Develops local industry for biofuel, decreasing our dependence on foreign oil. • Provides effective, low-cost weed control. How Would Landowners Benefit from Participation? Partnerships with landowners are the key to this community-energy research project. We are working with Inland Northwest farmers willing to grow oilseed crops on land not used for food production. Click to hear why one local landowner decided to grow camelina and partner with Community-Min
