Overview

New Crops and Processing (NCP) develops never-before cultivated crops throughout the United States that will not directly compete with traditional crops, e.g. off-season rotation and marginal land utilization.  In addition to pennycress, this research team is working on two other primary new crops:  Lesquerella, that can replace caster oil (100%  imported) in lubricants, plastics, cosmetics and many other personal care products.  Cuphea, that can serve as a supplement/replacement for the lauric acid used in detergents and currently produced from coconut or palm kernel oil (100% imported) or synthetically produced from petroleum.  Learn more about NCP research projects here.