Growing the Use of Small Grains in the Upper Midwest

Small grains bring many benefits to agricultural systems, yet most farmers in the Midwest no longer plant them in rotations.

CIAS worked in partnership with the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, the Artisan Grain Collaborative, the University of California, Davis, and Purdue University to study why farmers don’t grow more small grains, and how to support their production.

This report, published in September of 2023, details the drivers and deterrents of the adoption of small grains and provides policy-relevant solutions for how small grains can be encouraged in the region.