In pursuit of a homegrown biofuel: Navigating systems of partnership, stakeholder knowledge, and adoption of Brassica carinata in the Southeast United States

Abstract

An emerging off-season crop in the Southeast United States (SE US) may provide farmers and industry with a climate-friendly means of enhancing the region’s agricultural and bioenergy landscapes. Carinata (Brassica carinata) is an industrial oilseed that serves as a feedstock for renewable jet fuel and promises producers financial and soil health benefits. The likelihood of carinata adoption among producers depends on how well this technology fits within the region’s complex cultural and socio-economic conditions. This paper examines factors shaping adoption among producers in the SE US, taking into consideration theories of technology adoption that place emphasis on both the individual and complex systemic factors. Findings indicate respondents perceive agronomic and economic benefits of adopting carinata into seasonal rotations, but previous growers largely fail to link carinata to environmental benefits beyond the farmgate. Respondents identify barriers to carinata adoption at multiple scales. Unfamiliarity with carinata leads as a major barrier and respondent narratives reflect wide-ranging perceptions defying analytical categorization. Respondents identify solutions to overcome critical adoption barriers, such as industry responsibility, research on carinata variety improvement, and land grant extension activities. Results reinforce the complex interconnectivity of factors influencing adoption decision-making and highlight the importance of clearly defining stakeholder roles within the public-private partnership promoting carinata expansion. The study highlights opportunities and challenges of land grant extension systems that attempt to unite stakeholders across scales. Finally, the study discusses implications of the apparent disconnect between factors that influence producers’ adoption decision-making locally and the global forces that drive the carinata market.