FDA Approves Camelina for Broiler Chickens, already used in beef, swine, biofuel

The Camelina Company announces that camelina meal will be available for use as broiler chicken feed. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved camelina in rations for broiler chickens and with this action the FDA allows Great Plains to state that camelina has GRAS ("generally recognized as safe") status.

Camelina already is used in feed mixtures for beef cattle and hogs.

While high in protein and vitamin E, camelina is also a great source for omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial in weight gain for the chickens. Further, the meat from chickens will contain the omega-3s, making it healthier for human consumption.

"As the market for camelina biofuel and feed expands, growers are gaining additional revenue opportunities for their harvest," said Great Plains CEO, Sam Huttenbauer. "The FDA's recognition of its benefits in livestock feed will spur even greater development of renewable camelina-based fuels."

Great Plains, a renewable fuels energy company founded with the purpose of manufacturing and marketing biofuel produced from camelina, has been working with the FDA to gain approval for the crop to be used as livestock feed for several years. Today's FDA approval resulted out of a study which was sanctioned by the North American Camelina Association and is an important step toward the full commercialization of the crop. Great Plains is working with Texas A&M University on an additional study of camelina as feed for egg-laying chickens that is expected to begin within the next several weeks.

The company is already discussing with the FDA the use of camelina in feed for dairy cattle.

"Camelina can provide the power for our transportation and improve our food supply," Huttenbauer said. "This is a very exciting time for our company and our industry."

Great Plains is the world's largest supplier of camelina for biofuel and livestock feed. The company is developing further uses for camelina as the feedstock for on the road vehicles and jet aircraft.

Great Plains Oil & Exploration (Great Plains - The Camelina Company) is a renewable fuels energy company founded with the purpose of manufacturing and marketing biofuel produced from camelina. Great Plains is establishing a growing base and production facilities from which it will produce and supply camelina oil with its partner and one of the largest biofuel producers in the world, INEOS Enterprises.