Summary U.S. Cropland is currently characterized by a lack of diversity in most areas of the country. These three grains dominate the use of agricultural land, consuming over twenty times the acreage used for all fruit and vegetable production in the U.S. Alternatives to these commodity crops do exist. There are grains and oilseeds grown in other parts of the world that can be adapted here, including canola, sesame, millet, and various fiber or industrial use crops. These alternative crops represent new opportunities to diversify U.S. agriculture, with a substantial number of benefits. Achieving these benefits is highly dependent on thoroughly integrating production and marketing programs.
New crops offer many potential benefits for producers and U.S. agriculture.
Diversifying the number of crops on the farm, particularly for different markets, such as food vs. feed vs. oilseed uses, can help offset fluctuations in market price for a given commodity area. New crops with industrial use potential can broaden the marketplace for crop use, because they can serve as a source of renewable resources, often substituting for nonrenewable petroleum based products. Conversion of crop acreage into new industrial crops can reduce surplus production of current commodities. Another important way in which new crop development can offset surpluses is to convert acreage into crops we are currently importing, such as canola, sesame, guar, and castor. Agronomic studies have shown yield benefits, in part through reduction in pest pressures, by diversifying crop rotations.