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In addition to traditional food and feed uses, many oilseed crops currently produced in the U.S., (e.g., soybeans, sunflowers, and flax) are used to produce bioproducts such as lubricants, adhesives, components of plastics, degradable inks, paint additives, and detergent surfactants among other uses. The growing biodiesel market offers the potential for large-scale use of oilseed crops. In addition, the U.S. imports oils such as palm oil and castor oil for industrial use. In 1956, the U.S. Department of Agriculture undertook a systematic effort to identify potential new crops, many with industrial applications, which could be produced in the U.S. A large number of oilseed crops were identified as potential candidates due largely to their unusual fatty acid compositions which can confer different performance characteristics and potentially provide an improved environmental footprint relative to their petroleum derived counterparts. The new crops also offer added crop production options for farmers and can potentially create new rural jobs when used for industrial products. The list of potential new oilseed crops that can be produced is long. Among some of the more promising crops are rapeseed (both industrial varieties and canola varieties), Castor, Crambe, Cuphea, Lesquerella, meadowfoam, Vernonia, Euphorbia, Stokesia, Camelina, and Jojoba. |
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