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“But our work is complementary to everything that figure to be “substantially higher” in 2022.
else.” Exxon Mobil has signed an agreement with
CoverCress has gained the attention of investors Global Clean Energy to buy 5 million barrels of
like Leaps by Bayer, the company’s corporate renewable diesel per year for five years.
venture capital group that invests in companies Scientists with the Forever Green Initiative at
that “create significant breakthroughs that have the University of Minnesota project a camelina
a high return for society.” Derek Norman, the and soybean relay cropping system can produce
vice president for venture investments at Leaps around 130 gallons of oil per acre, compared to
by Bayer, told Agri-Pulse that he sees CoverCress about 60 gallons per acre for a sole full-season
as a way to help drive cover crop adoption while soybean crop.
filling the need for renewable fuel feedstocks. According to scientists with the USDA Agricul-
“I think that is a challenge with cover crops in tural Research Service in Ames, Iowa, the com-
general, the extra work and time cost of plant- bined yields of winter camelina and soybeans
ing a cover crop that probably does provide were equal to or exceeded the yields of growing
longer-term agronomic benefits,” he said. “It soybeans with no camelina.
becomes much easier, much easier to justify But there are some potential downsides to plant-
when you’re also getting that shorter term.”
ing camelina. Rob Malone, one of the ARS sci-
Camelina — which is similar to pennycress, entists on the project, says the soybean-camelina
but native to the colder climates of Northern system can use more water, which could pose
Europe — is considered a good candidate difficulties in years of water stress. Plus, the ARS
for production in states with cold winters and research so far shows the system doesn’t reduce
shorter growing seasons, such as Montana, the loss of nitrogen from fields.
North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. “One of the real critiques of these relay systems
In Montana and northwest North Dakota, or double-cropping systems is they use more
federal crop insurance is even available for water, at least a little bit more water and in some
camelina. years that little bit is enough to cause some
water stress,” Malone said.
Sustainable Oils is a subsidiary of Global Clean
Energy, a company that has recently converted Meanwhile, Bayer rival Corteva Agriscience is
a refinery in Bakersfield, California, to a renew- doing research on winter canola, another oilseed
able diesel operation. Sustainable Oils has that has biofuel potential in the U.S., as well
partnered with Cenex Harvest States to encour- as winter peas, which contain a lot of protein
age Montana farmers to plant camelina when and can be used in livestock feed or plant-based
they otherwise would be fallowing land between meat products.
crops. Research scientist Sarah Lira has been work-

Mike Karst, president of Sustainable Oils, says ing on these projects for Corteva and said she’s
in Montana camelina can be planted in April heard a lot of producers express interest in the
and harvested in August so farmers can “come idea of adding winter crops as a second profit
back in and plant winter wheat in behind us that source.
same year and then have a winter wheat through “Diversifying their potential sources of income
the next winter season.”
and having some nimbleness in reacting to the
Sustainable Oils had 15,000 acres in camelina markets — that’s of tremendous value to them,”
in Montana last year, and Karst says he expects she told Agri-Pulse. “They’re very excited. The

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