Camelina, an oilseed used exclusively for biofuel, will grow on tens of thousands of prairie acres this year, a 200 per cent increase from last year.

Camelina acres are projected to hit 75,000 next year. (Photo courtesy Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives)

Great Plains: The Camelina Company, one of two biofuel companies contracting acres of the crop, says farmer interest is very high. Acres are projected to hit 75,000 next year.

“Farmers want cropping options and need to spread the workload,” says Eric Oliver, field service rep for Great Plains.

Camelina is a good fit for most of the Prairies, he says, and is one of the most flexible crops for seeding: it can be fall, dormant or spring-seeded.

Growing the crop is a relatively simple adjustment for those already familiar with canola. Oliver advises farmers to do a pre-seed burnoff, and to seed heavier and shallower than canola, as there are no registered in-crop herbicide options.

That said, camelina is a good competitor when seeded heavily and has the unique characteristic of an allelopathic effect where, when flowering, the crop actually inhibits growth of plants around it.

Seed is available under a contract with Great Plains, which then crushes the crop in the U.S.

The meal, which is said to be higher in omega-3 fatty acids and protein than canola meal, is typically used for chicken feed.