By Laura Reiley
In the search for climate-friendly foods, scientists have spent decades reimagining what grows in the field. But a quieter question has lingered in the background: Will anyone actually want to eat it? A new study in the journal Agricultural Economics has applied this question to intermediate wheatgrass, finding that consumers will pay more for the perennial grain if the sustainability benefits are clearly explained—as long as it tastes good, too.
Better known by its trademarked name, Kernza, intermediate wheatgrass is one of the most closely watched sustainable crops in development. With its deep roots and ability to stay in the ground for years, the crop promises healthier soil, less erosion and reduced fertilizer runoff compared with conventional wheat. Yet despite those environmental advantages, its commercial future hinges on something more immediate: taste—and price.
Research thus far has been a cart-before-the-horse situation, said first author Jie Li, senior research associate in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management in the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.
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