Heirloom and Heritage Grains

Why Consider Heirloom/Heritage Grain Production and Marketing 

Much of modern agriculture is focused on the production and marketing of standardized commodity crops, with its inherent exposure to global market price risk. But, there are often alternative uses of farm business resources that focus on producing crops that can be differentiated for their quality allowing farm businesses to become more “price makers” than “price takers”.  

Finding success producing higher quality, differentiated, food products often require a different mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities than those required for success in commodity markets. Success in these more specialized markets may also include being situated in more favorable geographic position (e.g. access to strong local markets).

There exists a wide variety of entrepreneurial enterprises that might be considered including agritourism, production of fresh produce or locally raised livestock for regional markets, and value-added processing. 

Another alternative is to grow and market non-commodity grains used in the production of artisanal milled products and baked goods and craft beers and distilled products. Success would require that production of these niche crops be carefully aligned with a grain supply chain that connects produced grain through its various processing steps ultimately reaching consumers who are willing to pay premium prices to appropriately compensate all businesses along the supply chain. 

Non-commodity grain varieties used in these processes might include some modern hybrid varieties. But there are many consumers interested in purchasing products made with earlier-developed landrace and/or ancient grains varieties, if they can find them. The reasons for this interest range from perceived flavor or nutritional superiority to perceived environmental benefits to the desire to support a particular historical or cultural artifact. 

To deliver these products to the consumer, specialized often forgotten, skills and talents in production and processing must be engaged. Not everyone is well-suited to this opportunity, so for those who are, the competition is to some degree maintained by these inherent barriers to entry. Where barriers to entry exist, a well-suited entrepreneur can often find success. 

Heirloom and heritage grains can be found in several types of grains, including the following: 

1. Maize/Corn 

2. Rice