Kernza®: A Perennial
Super Grain for The Future
Kernza has the power to prevent and reverse damage.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Modern agricultural systems dominated by annual crops and separated livestock production cause 12% of the world’s emissions. Kernza is perennial - it comes back year after year, requiring far fewer passes with fossil fuel-burning equipment.
Soil Erosion
Annual agriculture systems without living roots and continuous cover leave soil bare and vulnerable to washing away. Traditional corn-soybean fields in the Midwest lose on average 7.6 tons of soil per acre every year. Perennial Kernza fields are never bare - and hold soil in place with 10-foot roots.
Kernza In The Kitchen
Kernza is not only a powerhouse grain crop in the field, but also a versatile nutrient-packed flour in the kitchen. It contains 18% protein, with flavor notes of walnut, cinnamon and brown butter. Kernza is also lower in gluten than annual wheat, with 2X the iron and 129% more fiber!
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Click on the tasty baked goods below to learn more about baking with this new perennial grain that’s good for people and the planet.
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Fresh Kernza Flour and Perennial Pancake Mix can be purchased in our Fields Best Shop and at these local farmers markets: Fitchburg Center Farmers Market, Tosa Farmers Market, Whitewater Farmers Market, and Thiensville Farmers Market.
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Kernza in The News
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Water pollution from fertilizer runoff and soil erosion remains a big issue in the Upper Midwest and across the Mississippi Watershed, resulting in toxic lake algae blooms, contaminated wells and a growing dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. While cover crops help reduce runoff and erosion, perennial plants have proven to be the best solution for mitigating these problems. Unfortunately, not many perennial crops can be grown profitably.
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This issue motivated Dr. Nicole Tautges, agroecologist and Michael Fields Ag Institute Research Director, to pursue Kernza® production research. Kernza is a perennial grain crop bred from a wild grass that is being improved for grain and food characteristics. MFAI field staff and farmer partners are conducting research trials to develop production recommendations, like fertilizer rates and variety selection, for Kernza growers in Wisconsin, where there have been few trials. MFAI has taken the lead on this effort, working one-on-one with growers, mills, businesses, organizational partners, and consumers to develop Kernza production, processing, and marketing capacity in Wisconsin.
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Thanks to these efforts, Wisconsin-grown Kernza grain is being used more often by businesses to make bread, beer, distilled products, and other goods that are good for the environment, are produced locally, and keep food dollars within Wisconsin communities.
Go Perennial!
Contact the Institute's Research Director Dr. Nicole Tautges, agroecologist and nationally recognized Kernza researcher, to learn more about growing this super grain, or using Kernza as an ingredient in your baking or brewing business.
509-432-6489
Ready to Make the Change to Perennial?
The movement to perennialize agriculture seeks to better protect our surface and groundwaters, keep soil in place, store atmospheric carbon, restore ecosystems, and transform the landscape. Along with agroforestry and other regenerative practices, Kernza is another tool in the continuous living cover toolbox.
This guide provides growers with the information they need to grow and store Kernza perennial grain, from rotational planning and planting considerations, to management, combine settings, harvesting, and post-harvest handling. There are also tips and references for where and how to explore market channels.
