The origins of Kernza® trace back to 1983 when plant breeder Peggy Wagoner at The Rodale Institute identified intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) as a promising candidate for a perennial grain. Inspired by Wes Jackson’s vision for a more sustainable agricultural system, researchers at Rodale and the USDA began early breeding efforts to improve fertility, seed size, and agronomic traits. In 1998, The Land Institute launched the Natural Systems Agriculture Fellowship, training many researchers who would go on to advance the development of Kernza®.
In 2003, The Land Institute formally established its intermediate wheatgrass breeding program with the goals of improved yield, seed size, and disease resistance. In 2009, The Land Institute filed for the trademark “Kernza®” which was officially registered in May of 2011. The first large-scale, commercial harvest of Kernza® took place in 2010 on a 30-acre field in Kansas. While the commercial acreage of Kernza® continues to expand nationwide, The Land Institute remains dedicated to advancing its breeding and crop improvement.
The Land Institute has released 6 varieties of Kernza®, the first in 2016 and 5 others in 2022. In 2011, the University of Minnesota began a Kernza® breeding program, which released the MN-Clearwater variety in 2019 and MN-Itasca in 2025.
Today, a global network of institutions, including The Land Institute, leading U.S. universities, and research centers across Canada, Europe, South America, and the Middle East, collaborate to advance Kernza® breeding, agronomy, and commercialization.
The State of Kernza® Today
As you can see, the positive impacts of Kernza® are spreading rapidly, but there is still plenty of room for growth and progress to be made.
Acres by State
(updated annually)
400+
201-400
1-200
Acres by State
| State | Details |
|---|---|
| California | 1 Grower 8 Acres University of California, Davis |
| Colorado | 3 Growers 92 Acres Colorado State University, NREL |
| Iowa | 4 Growers 38 Acres |
| Idaho | 1 Grower 20 Acres |
| Illinois | 6 Grower 86 Acres |
| Kansas | 29 Growers 930 Acres The Land Institute, Kansas State University, University of Kansas, Natural Resource Conservation Service |
| Michigan | 1 Growers 20 Acres Michigan State University |
| Minnesota | 57 Growers 1417 Acres University of Minnesota, Forever Green Initiative; Green Lands Blue Waters |
| Montana | 6 Growers 498 Acres |
| Nebraska | 4 Grower 217 Acres University of Nebraska, Lincoln |
| New Mexico | 1 Grower 45 Acres New Mexico State University |
| New York | 6 Growers 31 Acres Cornell University |
| North Dakota | 1 Growers 40 Acres North Dakota State University Extension – Williston |
| Ohio | 1 Grower 1 Acre Ohio State University |
| Oklahoma | 1 Grower 100 Acres Indigo Agriculture |
| South Dakota | 5 Growers 278 Acres |
| Wisconsin | 17 Growers 271 Acres University of Wisconsin – Madison |
| Wyoming | 4 Growers 40 Acres University of Wyoming |
Acres by State
1536
Conventional
916
Organic
360
Transitional
458
Regen. Organic Certified
The Road Ahead
From plant breeding to supply chains, Kernza® partners depend on research to develop a perennial future.
- Kernza® grain supply has dramatically increased, now emphasizing the need to enhance demand to align with this increased capacity.
- Soil carbon scientists are researching how much carbon Kernza® grain production can sequester.
- Kernza® grain sizes and yield are increasing with each cycle of selection in five core breeding programs.
- New research helped launch malted Kernza® grain for brewing.
- A free-threshing Kernza® variety is on the horizon, making it easier for growers to harvest.
The Future of Perennial Grains
Learn more about the environmental benefits of perennial grains and efforts to promote their adoption.