Source: GREAT NORTHERN GROWERS COOPERATIVE submitted to
CAMELINA SATIVA: A MULTIUSE OIL CROP FOR BIOFUEL, OMEGA-3 COOKING OIL, AND PROTEIN/OIL SOURCE FOR ANIMAL FEED
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0203181
Grant No.
2005-33610-15501
Project No.
MONK-2005-00422
Proposal No.
2005-00422
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
8.8
Project Start Date
Jul 15, 2005
Project End Date
Jun 30, 2006
Grant Year
2005
Project Director
Iverson, G. W.
Recipient Organization
GREAT NORTHERN GROWERS COOPERATIVE
1 RAILROAD AVENUE, BOX 99
Sunburst,MT 59482
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Situation Camelina sativa (camelina, false flax, or Gold of Pleasure) is an under-utilized crop that contains valuable oil, fiber and high quality protein with many potential uses in both nutrition (human and animal) and industrial applications: Camelina has been evaluated for oil production in the US (Robinson, 1987; Putman et al. 1993), but surprisingly, it has not yet emerged as a viable US crop. The Great Northern Growers Cooperative (GNG) is proposing to rapidly scale-up production of this multiple-use crop in the Northern Great Plains and to concurrently develop innovations to efficiently produce omega-3 products for human and animal consumption, as well as producing industrial biofuels and biolubricants Purpose This crop can be economically produced and processed in Montana providing a much needed high value, multi-use crop with relatively low input costs for Montana producers.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
5111899102050%
5111899200050%
Goals / Objectives
Objectives: I. Production of biodiesel from a domestic and sustainable oil that favorably competes with petroleum diesel. a. Can we produce an efficacious biodiesel from Camelina oil? b. Can we rapidly scale up production of camelina and oil processing? c. Are there viable markets for this biodiesel (agricultural, private transportation, Government fleets, Military)? II. Development of biobased lubricants from camelina oil and oil esters. a. Can we produce camelina-based biolubricants? b. Is the scale-up of the esterification process economic? c. Is there a market for the biolubricant? II. Formulation and evaluation of high omega-3 fatty acid fish food from pressed camelina meal for hatcheries and commercial fish farms. a. Will fish that are fed camelina have improved levels of omega-3 fatty acids? b. What is the optimum ratio of camelina meal in fish feed (price, feed conversion, palatability)? c. What will be the effect of camelina feeds on meat quality? d. Is there a market for the camelina fish feed? III. Production of culinary oils for improved human nutrition. a. Is there a US market for Camelina oil (culinary, cosmetic)? IV. Optimization of camelina production including seed yield, oil yield, and omega-3 yield a. What is the omega-3 content of camelina produced in Montana? b. What is the oil profile of the 40 accessions of camelina that we are evaluating? c. Can we increase the percentage of omega-3 fatty acids in camelina oil? d. Are high-altitude, cooler-temperature camelina oils different in oil content (omega-3 content) that camelina oils grown at more temperate locations? e. What is the oil content of winter-planted camelina vs. spring-planted camelina?
Project Methods
Approach 1. Production feasibility of Camelina (Great Northern Growers (GNG) and Montana Ag Research Centers (MARC)) Great Northern Growers and the MARC will plant 500-1000 acres of camelina in 2005. The MARC and GNG will provide test seed and assist in ascertaining problems through the growing season as a part of their ongoing research. GNG and MARC will continue to optimize agronomic practices for the production of camelina including seeding practices, soil fertility, and chemical recommendations, as well as harvest and storage considerations. 2. Market analysis of camelina A marketing firm will be hired by GNG to assist in ascertaining markets for omega-3 oils, identifying competitors and determining marketing strategies to benefit GNG. 3. Processing of camelina GNG will partner with an oilseed processing facility to process their production of oil and meal in 2005.. 4. Product development of camelina Camelina meal will be used to manufacture fish foods in the pilot facility of the Piper Fish Research Laboratory in Bozeman, Montana. The fish nutritionist (Dr. Rick Barrows) is an employee of the USDA and will develop the formulation. Formulations will be provided to GNG and the marketing firm for further market analysis. Montana State University will utilize residual seed from 2004 for analyses of oil, meal and fiber. All data will be returned to GNG to assist in developing a market strategy. Oil quality analysis will be done on the oil and meal from the 2005 crop. New products including vegetable wax esters for the lubrication and cosmetic industries will be developed using enzymatic processes. Branched chain oils (estilides) will be developed for use in bio-lubricant applications such as motor oils and hydraulic oils. E.6. Related Research Agronomic investigations of camelina production have been undertaken in both North America and Europe. Camelina is a minor oilseed crop in several European countries (Austria, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Poland, and the USSR) and is being evaluated as a feedstock for biodiesel production. Camelina is a minor food crop in Finland and is marketed by Camelina, Ltd. Montana State University is forming a robust Camelina R&D program. This effort includes agronomy and production, human nutrition and impact on chronic disease, animal nutrition (omega-3 fatty acids and fiber), and biofuel and biolubricant production. The entire USDA NPGS collection of Camelina (~40 accessions) has been planted at the Northwestern ARC and the Eastern ARC. Yield and oil composition of each of these accessions will be evaluated later this fall. Promising accessions will be increased and further developed as varieties.

Progress 07/15/05 to 06/30/06

Outputs
Camelina sativa is an under-utilized crop that contains valuable oil, fiber and high quality protein with many potential uses in culinary, cosmetic, animal feed, bio-fuel and other industrial applications. Camelina oil has a high content of omega-3 fatty acid, an essential oil for prevention and management of several chronic diseases in humans. The oil is less expensive to produce than other vegetable oils, and can be used to produce bio-diesel and bio-lubricants. Camelina meal, the extruded product remaining after oil extraction, contains valuable protein and residual fatty acids. Immense strides have been made to scale-up production and marketability of Camelina. GNG planted over 400 acres in 2005, using seed imported from Germany and Austria. Nine GNG members, as well as five Montana Ag Research Centers planted camelina acreage. About ten other Montana producers had small plots. Production was harvested, processed and tested in feeding trials and bio fuel manufacture. In 2006, Great Northern Growers 41 members planted over 5000 acres. Several new lines have been selected and are being analyzed, many potential markets have been identified and product research and development is ongoing. Processing facilities are being evaluated, Great Northern Growers plans to have processing capability for the 2007 crop, as existing custom processing facilities will not be able to handle the projected volume of product. New international research is proclaiming the nutritional aptitude of omega-3, tocopherols, and glycosinolates, all primary essential nutrients offered by consuming Camelina oil and meal. The increase in the price of petroleum products has added to the urgency to develop bio-fuels.

Impacts
Camelina appears to offer a number of potential attributes or benefits that may create a demand for the product as a human food, animal feed and an ingredient for biodiesel. GNG processed camelina typically yields approximately 76% meal/press cake, 22% camelina oil and 2% waste and heavies. The exact percentages are likely to depend on the variety of camelina grown, growing conditions, fertilizer and other inputs, the method of extraction (for example solvent versus cold pressed) and the quantity of oil left in the meal/press cake after oil extraction. Camelina offers GNG opportunities in the human nutrition, meal/animal feed, bio-fuel and other markets. Each of these markets has very definite requirements, and lines of camelina should be grown or developed that have the specific characteristics desired by different users. Once it is determined which varieties thrive in specific agricultural conditions around the state, it is imperative to understand the compositional variations between these varieties as the ultimate end market dictates which compositional profile is optimal. The results of on-going research at MSU, will have a critical impact on the economic viability of growing and marketing camelina.

Publications

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