Local grains could be good option for some area farmers

If you're looking to diversify your farming operation or add value to it, Steve Zwinger has a suggestion: Local grains.

Because grain is so common in the Upper Midwest, "We can take it for granted. We don't always realize what we have here," says Zwinger, an agronomy research specialist at the North Dakota State University Research Center and a member of a nationwide group promoting the local grains effort.

Local grains are part of the local foods movement, which emphasizes organic, small-scale production of food consumed near where it's produced. Local foods are most often associated with vegetables and eggs, but grains are playing a bigger role, Zwinger says.

Consumers -- what Zwinger calls "eaters" -- in urban areas are the biggest market for local grains. Even in rural North Dakota, however, more consumers are showing interest, he says.

Flax, of which North Dakota is the nation's leading producer, might be the best example. Several North Dakota farms already raise the crop, then package and sell it locally, Zwinger says.

Perceptions, marketing

Local grains include heirloom wheat varieties and ancient grains such as emmer or einkorn. Emmer, which dates to prehistoric times, once was popular on the Northern Plains before the arrival of new, better-yielding wheat varieties in the early 20th century.

Some health-conscious consumers wonder if local grains might be a partial solution to gluten intolerance, also known as celiac disease. The digestive condition damages the surface of the small intestines and blocks the ability to absorb certain nutrients.

Zwinger says the perception that grains such as emmer can help with gluten intolerance is a factor in local grains' growing popularity. He also says medical evidence on the subject doesn't give a definitive answer on whether local grains help.

In any case, local grains offer a number of creative marketing opportunities, including sales to microbreweries and craft breweries, Zwinger says.

Direct connection

Local grains, like local foods in general, allow consumers to connect directly with farmers, an increasingly important consideration to many Americans, Zwinger says.

Organic production is an important part of local grains, but it's not necessarily an essential one. Some health-minded consumers are satisfied by knowing their local grower and how and where the food was produced, and don't insist on certified organic food, Zwinger says.

Local grains won't replace the conventional large-scale grain farm operations in North Dakota. The state's population is too small and its grain production is too high, Zwinger says.

"We're always going to be a little large-scale here," he says.

But local grains can be a good option for some farms, especially if they're small or looking for ways to bring in more family members, he says.

Zwinger's local grains group consists of about 65 farmers, scientists, grain processors and bakers from across the country. They recently held a videoconference at nine locations across the country, including Carrington, N.D., and Washington, D.C.

For more information on the videoconference or local grains, contact Zwinger at steve.zwinger@ndsu.edu .