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Minnesota farmer growing winter camelina for sustainable aviation fuel market

A western Minnesota farmer is growing winter camelina as a cash crop for the sustainable aviation fuels market.

Anne Schwagerl of Browns Valley tells Brownfield she’s selling the oilseed to a crush plant as part of a pilot project through the University of Minnesota.

“It needs fertility kind of like a small grain crop, but because it’s fall-seeded it gets up and out of the ground a lot earlier to outcompete weeds.”

She says sustainable aviation fuel can be part of the solution to climate change.

“We all know that cover cropping is good for our soils, but you know they cost money to do that. And this is one way that you can actually make a little bit of money too, and not just do something just because it’s good for the environment. I think it’s a win-win.”

Schwagerl, the vice president of Minnesota Farmers Union, says the winter camelina seeded this fall will be harvested in early July.