About Specialty Grains

Specialty grains from our region consist of a wide range of high quality grain crops and varieties that yield premium prices for growers and processors, and provide specific desired traits for the buying customer.  They include a range of food grade and special trait feed grains that typically require special handling and identity preservation from the field to the end market.

Often these premium specialty grains are grown by producers under contract with processor/trader handlers who have a direct buyer/seller source relationship with customers overseas and in special domestic markets.

The Upper Midwest region is well-suited to produce high quality grains.   From the rich black soils of Iowa, Minnesota southern Wisconsin, and eastern Dakotas to the plains of the western Dakotas, the Midwest offers favorable growing conditions for a wide range of IP specialty crops.  The region’s climate and weather patterns provide strong growing conditions for different specialty crops.

Among specialty grains that can be sourced from the Midwest region are:

• Food grade soybeans for Asian markets and a variety of Asian foods like tofu, natto, miso, soy sauce and more.
• Food grade corn, white corn, blue corn and waxy corn.
  
• Non-gmo corn and soybeans for feed for export to Japan, Europe and other markets where non-gmo grains are required.
  
• New low linolenic biotech soybeans like Vistive from Monsanto, Treus from Bunge; and mid and emerging high oleic soybeans like Asoyia versions, and other special trait biotech crops that are developed to aid healthier food products.
  
• IP wheat varieties for global market preferences.
  
• Pulse crops, including peas and lentils for Far East, Asian and European markets.
  
• Organic crops grown for food uses, and for feed for organic poultry and livestock for domestic markets.
  
• Dry edible beans.
  
• Sunflowers and canola oil seed crops.
  
• Malting barley and other special small grains like oats flax, safflower, millet and more.

 

Several MSA member companies and country elevators also source commodity grains for export markets, including:

• High quality distillers dried grains (DDGs) from ethanol production for feed.
  
• Number 1 grade, quality soybeans shipped identity preserved.
  
• Traditional number 2 yellow corn and soybeans for feed.
  
• Wheat and barley.

For a list of specialty grains and the MSA member companies that offer them, go to - __________________.

For additional information, go to:

* Minnesota, USA Food Soybeans” --   ____________ 

* Northern Food Grade Soybeans -- ______________

* _____________________