The Land Institute facts for kids
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| Formation | 1 August 1976 |
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| Founders | Wes Jackson, Dana Jackson |
| Type | Nonprofit organization |
| Purpose | Agricultural and social research |
| Headquarters | Salina, Kansas |
| Location |
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President
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Rachel Stroer |
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Chief Scientist
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Tim Crews |
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Chief Impact Officer
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Amy Cole |
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Chief Operating Officer
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Tracie Thomas |
| Chairperson of the Board | |
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Key people
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Julia Ollmsted |
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Budget (2020)
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$6 million USD |
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Revenue (2020)
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$6 million USD |
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Staff (2020)
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50 |
The Land Institute is a special research group in Salina, Kansas. It is a nonprofit organization, which means it works for a good cause instead of making money. Their main goal is to find new ways to farm that are good for the Earth. They want to create a farming system using perennial crops. These crops grow back year after year, like a wild prairie. This helps the environment and can still produce lots of grain.
Contents
History of The Land Institute
The Land Institute started in 1976 on 28 acres of land. It was founded by Wes Jackson, a plant geneticist (someone who studies how plants inherit traits). He also won a special award called the MacArthur "genius grant." He started the institute with Dana Jackson.
The Land Institute works on something called "natural systems agriculture." This means they try to make farms work more like natural ecosystems, such as prairies. They do this by breeding plants. They use methods like selective breeding to turn wild perennial plants into crops farmers can grow. Prairies are known for their healthy soil and deep roots. The Land Institute wants to create crops that have these same benefits.
Growing many different perennial crops together is called polyculture. This is different from growing just one crop, which is called monoculture. Perennial polycultures can help the environment in many ways. They can increase the number of different living things (biodiversity). They can also reduce soil erosion (when soil is washed away). Plus, they need less water, fuel, fertilizers, and pesticides. Perennial crops can also help store carbon in the soil. It will take many years to develop these new crops for farmers.
Since 1979, The Land Institute has held an event called the Prairie Festival every year. It includes talks, art, tours, and music.
Kernza: A Perennial Grain
Kernza is a special type of intermediate wheatgrass. The Land Institute developed it, and it's the first perennial grain crop grown widely in the northern United States. A perennial grain is a grain crop that lives and produces food for three or more years. Most grains, like wheat or corn, are annual crops. This means they only grow for one season before they are harvested. Kernza, however, grows back year after year.
Scientists at The Land Institute spent over 20 years breeding this plant. They made its seeds two to three times bigger than those of its wild relatives. When conditions are good, Kernza can produce about 30 percent of the amount of grain that traditional wheat does. They named their special crop Kernza, combining "kernel" and "Kansas."
The University of Minnesota has a large program to breed Kernza. Their scientists are working to make the plant even better, especially to increase its yield. Their "Forever Green Initiative" has caught the eye of big food companies like General Mills. Smaller local food places, like the Birchwood Cafe, are also interested.
The General Mills brand Cascadian Farm has started using Kernza in some of its foods. The first Kernza cereal was made in 2019. Cascadian Farm agreed to buy a certain amount of Kernza. This encourages farmers to plant it on larger fields, not just small test plots.
Kernza Products You Can Find
Kernza breeding has made the seeds much bigger and increased how much grain they produce. This has helped Kernza become available to buy sooner. The first widely available Kernza product was Long Root Ale from Patagonia Provisions in 2016. This led to other companies wanting to use Kernza.
Today, many restaurants serve foods made with Kernza. These include Birchwood Cafe in Minneapolis and Cafe Gratitude in Los Angeles. Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio, also uses it.
After the Birchwood Cafe received Kernza grain, they started baking. They made crackers, pancakes, tortillas, and puffed grain desserts.
Breweries like Hopworks Urban Brewery in Portland, Oregon, make Long Root Ale. You can find this ale in cans at Whole Foods stores in California. Bang! Brewing in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Blue Skye Brewery in Salina, Kansas, also have Kernza beer. Innovative Dumpling & Strand makes Kernza pasta. They sell it at farmers' markets in the Twin Cities area. Fair State Brewing Cooperative made a golden ale with Kernza in 2018.
In 2024, Patagonia Provisions released a new line of pasta. It is made with durum wheat and Kernza.
Ecological Benefits of Kernza
When the soil is covered by perennial plants like Kernza, farmers can greatly reduce soil erosion. This means farming can help build healthy soil, much like natural ecosystems do. Early research suggests that Kernza's deep, long-lasting roots help create healthy soil microbiomes. These are communities of tiny living things in the soil. Regular farming, which often disturbs the soil, can harm these microbiomes.
Deeper and more roots lead to healthier soil. More and more scientific studies show the environmental benefits of Kernza. Research from other perennial systems, like pastures, also shows the good things a perennial grain like Kernza can do. For example, perennial grains can store carbon in the soil. They can also keep more farmland productive than other options.
Perennial Grains Story Project
The Perennial Grains Story Project is a group effort to share information about perennial grains. Its goal is to keep people excited about developing perennial grain polyculture. They especially want to promote Kernza. This project helps people who use and breed Kernza talk to each other. It also creates materials to share the story of sustainable food production.
The Land Institute in Books
The work of The Land Institute has been featured in important books. Michael Pollan's best-selling book, The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, talks about their work. Also, Janine Benyus's book, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, explains how The Land Institute develops sustainable farming. They create high-yield, low-labor farms based on growing many different crops together.
See also
