The winter-hardy oilseed crop known as winter camelina is drawing increasing interest across Minnesota for its ability to protect soil, provide an additional revenue stream for farmers, and serve as a potential feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel. To support ongoing research and collaboration around this emerging crop, the Rosemount Research and Outreach Center recently hosted a field day organized by the University of Minnesota Forever Green Initiative and its partners.
The Rosemount ROC played a key role as the host site, showcasing its ongoing experience with both experimental and commercial winter camelina production. Attendees had the opportunity to see established plots and learn directly from researchers, staff and local growers about agronomic practices and field performance.
The field day highlighted how cross-sector partners, including industry, government, and growers, are working together to scale winter camelina toward the first million acres in the region. This effort is part of the One Million Acre Scaling Study (1MASS), a major initiative launched in 2025 in partnership with MBOLD and other stakeholders to build a roadmap for widespread adoption of the crop.
Discussions throughout the day emphasized both the promise and the challenges of winter camelina. One specific highlight of winter camelina development was the Delta Air Lines flight taken from MSP to New York City on September 25, 2024 using sustainable aviation fuel from camelina. This was considered the first flight in North America powered by Camelina-based fuel. Additionally, farmers Paul Novotny, Ben Penner, and Anne Schwagerl shared firsthand experiences, offering insight into planting, harvesting, storage, and market considerations. Novotny also demonstrated a portable camelina seed cleaner in the field.
Forever Green Director of Commercialization Colin Cureton, Minnesota Environmental Partnership’s Steve Morse, Blake Webster of the Rosemount ROC, and Friends of the Mississippi River’s Peter LaFontaine, covered the crop’s development and the policy landscape needed to support growth.
The field day followed a partner meeting hosted by Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) in Waseca, where participants explored updates on carbon intensity modeling, yield trends, and scaling challenges.
As interest continues to grow, events like this field day demonstrate the importance of collaboration across sectors and the value of sites like Rosemount ROC in supporting research, demonstration, and dialogue.
Written by Isabella Ciarico