Corteva-Bunge-Chevron winter canola program in the mid-south achieves successful harvest

As Mid-South farmers completed their first winter canola harvest this summer, Corteva, along with partner Bunge Chevron Ag Renewables LLC, shared initial results from the pilot program: Pioneer^® brand winter canola hybrids exceeded initial expectations with an average yield of 54 bu/A across 13 farms in western Kentucky and western Tennessee.¹ Based on university trials, yield results of 45 to 55 bu/A is a common target for the crop.

″We couldn’t have asked for better results for our first harvest of winter canola,″ said Chad Berghoefer, Corteva Agriscience Global Product Director, Biofuels. ″We are very pleased with these yield results – as well as the excellent grain quality – and look forward to more farmers participating in the program next year.″

Pioneer’s long-standing canola breeding program has developed proprietary winter canola hybrids well adapted to perform in the southern U.S. and serve as a new alternative for winter crop rotations. With elite genetics powered by Pioneer^®, farmers can expect high yield potential and consistent oil content across a wide range of growing conditions to increase their winter crop field profitability.

For the 2023-2024 season, 5,000 acres were contracted across western Kentucky and western Tennessee. After a successful harvest, the program significantly expanded, achieving more than 35,000 acres contracted for the next crop year and is expanding into southern Illinois, southern Indiana, northern Alabama, northern Mississippi, eastern Arkansas and eastern Missouri.

″We are excited about this program and hope to build on these promising results to meet consumers’ growing demand for renewable fuels, creating a more environmentally sustainable future – while driving additional revenue sources for farmers,″ said Luis Copeland, Bunge’s Senior Director for Low Carbon Intensity Seeds. ″We will add more delivery locations to provide farmers with more convenient options to transport their winter canola.″

The harvested winter canola is processed at a Bunge facility for the production of oil, which can be used as feedstock to the growing renewable fuels industry.

″We are proud of our unique partnership with Bunge and Corteva which allows us to cover the full value chain of the winter canola crop, from production to fuel,″ said Stacey Orlandi, President of Chevron Renewable Energy Group. ″Innovation and investment in the feedstock space is going to continue to be an important aspect for the future of the renewable fuels industry and collaborations like this one are helping to support growth of lower carbon intensity fuels for the market."

¹Total farm weighted average.