[5][Oregon Dept. of Agriculture Release [6]] 10/01/2008 — The Oregon Department of Agriculture has issued registrations to Willamette Biomass Processors, Inc., of Rickreall, and Great Plains Oil and Exploration, of Havre, Montana, to sell camelina meal in Oregon for beef and swine feed. The meal may only be fed to feedlot beef cattle or growing swine, and must make up no more than 2 percent of the diet.
Pacific Northwest farmers recently began growing camelina as a biodiesel crop. The process of crushing camelina to harvest the oil for biodiesel generates meal as a by-product. Like the meal of other oilseeds, such as canola and soybean meal, camelina is a potential protein source for livestock. However, concerns about compounds in the meal called glucosinolates and their potential negative effect on livestock have prompted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to exercise enforcement discretion allowing the sale of the meal until it reviews results of additional testing.
“Glucosinilates are present in a variety of plant materials,” says ODA Feed Specialist Richard Ten Eyck. “Some have no effects while others may have detrimental effects, such as preventing weight gain. FDA is confident that camelina meal is safe at a 2 percent level for beef and growing swine, but they want to evaluate it before approving it at higher levels and for other species to make sure there are no negative effects to livestock.”
FDA says it will not take enforcement action as long as a maximum 2 percent blend of camelina meal is used in feedlot beef cattle and growing swine feed, and camelina processors work with ODA if they wish to sell the meal in Oregon as commercial feed.
Currently, Willamette Biomass Processors and Great Plains Oil and Exploration are the only companies with permission to sell camelina meal as a feed ingredient in Oregon. Other companies wishing to sell the meal in Oregon must take the following steps:
Register the camelina meal product with ODA as a feed ingredient.
Label the meal with the caution that it must only be fed to feedlot beef cattle or growing swine at concentrations not to exceed 2 percent of the total diet.
Disclose the quantity of camelina crushed monthly, as well as the camelina meal shipment destination name and address, to the Oregon Department of Agriculture.
Send a label with each camelina meal delivery to the final consumer.
Livestock producers and feed mills who purchase the meal must work with a nutritionist familiar with feeding camelina. The producer or mill should be able to provide a name and phone number of their nutritionist if asked.
“It’s important that livestock producers understand how to use this protein source for their animals,” says Ten Eyck. “It is not a good fit in some diets, but could provide some cost savings in others.”
For more information, contact Richard Ten Eyck with the Oregon Department of Agriculture at (503) 986-4691.
/ODA/docs/pdf/news/081001camelina.pdf