Exploring the Crops of the Northern Region-Canola

As a continuation of the blog series, Exploring the Crops of the Northern Region, this week we will take a closer look at canola. This crop is grown throughout the four-state region. Canola has quickly become important due to its use as a cooking oil and in processed foods. But the plant has more uses than just food! Canola is also used to make soaps, feed livestock, and as a fertilizer.  Here we’ll take a closer look at them and dive into growth, production, and uses of the crop.

Canola is grown across the four state region of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana, but North Dakota by far leads this group. Since first being planted in the United States in 1988, canola has expanded rapidly in this region. North Dakota is the number one producer of canola, and is responsible for roughly 82% of domestic canola production. In 2017 the state harvested roughly 1.6 million acers.

But what do we do with all of this canola? One major use of canola is oil, although there are other uses for it as well. Canola oil is made by harvesting and then processing the canola by heating and crushing the seed. Oil is then extracted using a solvent. This processing is what makes it possible to use the seed for oil production.

Once the oil is extracted, it an be used for many different applications. It is often used for cooking due to its high smoking point and flavor.  But canola can be used for other purposes as well. The oil that comes from this versatile plant also can be used to make toothpaste and bioplastics, as well as soap.

That isn’t all though, canola has other uses outside of oil production. During the process of extracting the oil, canola meal is created. This is a high protein meal that can be very beneficial. It is commonly used in livestock and pet foods, as well as fish food! In short, canola is a versatile and beneficial crop that greatly impacts the northern region.