By Ray Hansen, content specialist, AgMRC, Iowa State University, hansenr@iastate.edu.

Updated August 2011 by Malinda Geisler,  AgMRC, Iowa State University.


Overview
Crambe (CRAM bee) is an oilseed crop from the mustard family, which includes crops such as rapeseed (canola and industrial rapeseed oil) and tame mustard. Except for industrial rapeseed, crambe is the only commercial source of erucic acid, a fatty acid, in the United States. Global preference for rapeseed oil and the lack of processing facilities have stalled production in the United States.

Crambe is believed to be a native of the Mediterranean area. It was introduced in the United States by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in the 1940s and began receiving consideration as an alternative crop in the late 1950s because of its unique oil properties. Since that time, crambe has been successfully grown in several areas of the United States, but most of its commercial cultivation is in North Dakota.

Value-added Products
Crambe seed has 28 to 30 percent protein. The primary products from crambe seed include oil (around 35%), meal (64-69%) and hulls (3%).  The oil content is nearly twice that of soybeans and 8 to 9 percent more than rapeseed. The primary fatty acids in the seed oil are erucic acid (55-60%) followed by oleic acid (17%), linoleic acid (9%), linolenic acid (5%) and eicosanoic acid (3%). It contains 9 percent more erucic acid than rapeseed.

Interest in crambe oil originally focused on the high percentage of erucic acid, which had significant implications for industrial uses, specifically the plastics industry. Crambe oil's ability to withstand high temperatures and remain liquid at low temperatures make it a quality lubricant and transfer oil. Because it is a very effective lubricant and much more biodegradable than mineral oils, this oil may be used alone or as additives for the textile, steel and shipping industries.The oil can also be used in pharmaceuticals, fish food coating agents, cosmetics, nylon and perfumes. More recently it is also being considered as an oil for use in biofuel production, because its oil content ranges from 35 to 60 percent with potential yields of over 2,000 pounds per acre.

Crambe meal can be used as livestock protein or for protein isolates and fertilizer. The protein content of defatted, dehulled crambe meal may be as high as 45 to 50 percent,  which is similar to soybean meal. The Food and Drug Administration has approved use of defatted crambe meal as a feed supplement, with the provision that it be fed only to feedlot cattle and at a level not exceeding 4.2 percent of the diet. Crambe meal can also be used as a soil amendment and an insecticide.

The exact prices for crambe oil and meal are not available, so price ranges of 28 to 35 cents per pound for oil and $75 to $100 per ton for meal are used as best estimates by industry analysts. In 1997, the value of crambe oil was estimated at $4.9 to $6.1 million and the meal at $1.6 to $2.1 million. The total value of the two products was $6.5 to $8.3 million. The price of crambe is around $135 per ton with government subsidies bringing it to around $219 per ton.

Production
In 2002, crambe was grown in 54 farms in the United States and was harvested on 12,320 acres, with a total production of 13.3 million pounds. North Dakota was the leading producer with 34 farms and harvested 7.5 million pounds from 7,481 acres. Montana had 20 farms and harvested 5.8 million pounds from 4,839 acres.  (2002 Census of Agriculture 2004) USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service no longer tracks crambe production.

Crambe has been commercially grown in the northern plains since the early 1990s. Commercial interest in crambe as an alternative crop developed in part because it can be grown with conventional small-grain equipment. It also required less pest management inputs and demonstrated good tolerance of variable growing conditions. Current production data for domestic production is limited. Production in Canada and the United Kingdom has remained stable or slightly increased.

Competitive Products and Intensity
Rapeseed is the current oilseed of choice for erucic acid in national and international markets; however, crambe oil typically yields 8 to 9 percent more usable oil. The limiting factor for expansion is lack of processors and market points to move the industry. When the USDA delisted crambe, it reported only one commercial buyer of crambe oil; the remainder was grown under contract for specific applications. In addition, supporting research and specific demand from end users will be essential for moving this industry forward. As an industrial lubricant, it must also compete against petroleum product alternatives.

Another consideration limiting widespread crambe utilization is transportation costs. Because of its low test weight, the product cannot economically be hauled long distances. Additional processing infrastructure is needed to expand production; currently, processing facilities are extremely limited.
 
Government/Regulatory Involvement
Most crambe production is currently being undertaken as part of government research or private pilot projects to determine its potential as a viable alternative crop and for rural development.