Energy-Crops Firm Has Begun Selling Non-Food, High-Biomass Seeds for Biofuels

Energy-Crops Firm Has Begun Selling Non-Food, High-Biomass Seeds for Biofuels

Energy-crops developer Ceres Inc. announced today that it has begun selling switchgrass and high-biomass sorghum seed in possibly the first seed sales of non-food, low-carbon crops developed specifically as raw materials for cellulosic ethanol.

The Thousand Oaks, California, company is offering the seeds direct to farms under its Blade Energy Crops label. The company reported that the first Blade products build on the inherent advantages of these highly efficient crops, offering double-digit biomass yield gains in many cases, which is a remarkable level of improvement by crop science standards.

High yields are needed since widely dispersed sources of biomass are cost-prohibitive to harvest and transport.

Anna Rath, vice president of commercial development, said that switchgrass and high-biomass sorghum can provide new options for growers, especially on underperforming land.

While she expects the bulk of Blade seed to be sold to bioenergy companies this first year, the company has set aside seed for growers interested in gaining experience with these crops as the market for biomass develops.

With federal mandates for 21 billion gallons of biofuels from non-corn sources and renewed interest in cleaner-burning alternatives to coal, energy crops such as these could offer farm operators a good opportunity.

There are various state and federal initiatives to support growers, including the Biomass Crop Assistance Program, which is expected to be introduced soon by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

We believe Blade is the first major brand to package sorghum seed by count rather than weight, an industry practice that has been well received in corn and soy. This method allows producers to purchase only the amount of seed they need rather than having to overbuy to cover variations in seeds per pound.

Scott Doggett:  is an AutoObserver.com Associate Editor.