NEWS RELEASE

August 9, 2000    

NORTH MISSOURI PRODUCERS LOOK TO BUCKWHEAT FOR INCREASED PROFITABILITY    

COLUMBIA, Mo. – More than 20 north Missouri producers have included buckwheat in this year’s crop rotation.  These producers took advantage of buckwheat as a later-planted double-crop option after wheat.    

Almost 2,000 acres of buckwheat were recently planted in Missouri.  The buckwheat will be delivered to Minn-Dak Growers Ltd., a contractor, processor, and marketer of buckwheat to the domestic and international food ingredients industry.    

The Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute, a non-profit agricultural research and education center in Columbia, encouraged Minn-Dak Growers to contract with Missouri producers.  The Jefferson Institute works to develop markets for Missouri producers interested in diversifying their crop rotations.  

 With help from University of Missouri Extension staff, the Jefferson Institute arranged three educational meetings across north Missouri to let producers know of this opportunity.     

By planting buckwheat after what harvest, north Missouri producers are able to increase total farm profit potential on land that would have otherwise lay fallow.    

"Because buckwheat is not competing with other crops, every dollar generated by buckwheat production is new farm income for Missouri producers," explained Rob Myers, executive director of the Jefferson Institute.    

In north Missouri, the planting window for double-crop soybeans can be limited.  Buckwheat, by contrast, can be planted later than soybeans and matures faster.  In fact, buckwheat usually has its highest yield when planted in the latter part of July, rather than earlier in the summer.    

Missouri buckwheat production will be exported to Japan and Russia. In Japan, buckwheat is milled into flour and used primarily for soba noodles.  In Russia, buckwheat is used in a variety of traditional foods.    

The Jefferson Institute provides production and marketing assistance to Midwest farmers interested in crop alternatives.  As a non-profit corporation, the Jefferson Institute works jointly with university agricultural scientists to research and promote alternative crop options for producers.    

For more information on buckwheat or other alternative crops, contact the Jefferson Institute at (573)449-3518.     

Source: Rob Myers, (573)449-3518

Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute
601 West Nifong Blvd. Suite 1D
Columbia, MO 65203
573-449-3518
info@jeffersoninstitute.org