Canola is Coming: Why Oklahoma Wheat Farmers Might Give a Crop

Joe Wertz Bio Recent Stories Joe Wertz was a reporter and managing editor for StateImpact Oklahoma from 2011-2019. He reported on energy and environment issues for national NPR audiences and other national outlets. He previously worked as a managing editor, assistant editor and staff reporter at several major Oklahoma newspapers and studied journalism at the University of Central Oklahoma.

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Northstar Agri Industries on Monday announced plans to build a canola processing plant in Enid. Construction won’t begin for a year, The Oklahoman‘s Paula Burkes reports, but the plant means more than 50 jobs for the state.

The bigger news, however, is for Oklahoma farmers — especially wheat farmers. So why should the state’s grain producers give a flip about a mere field mustard? Brent Kisling, executive director of the Enid Regional Development Alliance explains: