August 7, 2014
IP for Farmers & Consumers!
Rapeseed has been cultivated by farmers for thousands of years. Growers have relied on it as a ‘break crop’ since its planting adds variety into a cereal crop rotation cycle, which promotes lower disease, weed and pest infestations for years. This means farmers can not only grow a valuable crop in canola, it helps improve the productivity of their staple cereal crops in other years.
In the 1970s though, researchers introduced the first variety of rapeseed that could be processed and turned into the heart-healthy oil, full of omega-3 fatty acids that we know — canola oil. Rapeseed quickly went from a crop primarily for farmers and feed, to an essential staple in pantries worldwide. Learn more about the incredible research behind modern rapeseed in our IP in Ag Innovation Series: Rapeseed infographic.