Intermediate Oilseed Crop Alliance Launches to Champion Emerging Intermediate Crop Industry
New trade association unites leading agricultural companies to promote intermediate oilseed crops including camelina, carinata, and domesticated pennycress production and crop technologies
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Intermediate Oilseed Crop Alliance (IOCA) today announced its formal incorporation as a new 501(c)(6) trade association dedicated to advancing the commercialization of intermediate oilseed crops including camelina, carinata, and domesticated pennycress.
IOCA will serve as a unified voice for the emerging intermediate crop sector, advancing policies and technologies that support farmer profitability, regenerative agriculture, and the development of feedstocks for low-carbon renewable fuels and downstream products. Intermediate oilseed crops are especially well-positioned to meet growing demand in biodiesel, renewable diesel (RD), and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) markets.
"Intermediate oilseed crops represent a significant opportunity to strengthen farm economics while advancing our nation's energy and environmental goals," said Isabel Lane, Executive Director of IOCA. "Demand for these low-carbon biofuel feedstocks is increasing rapidly in the United States as the renewable fuels industry continues to grow. IOCA will engage policymakers, regulators, and stakeholders to drive policy to further this promising and emerging agricultural sector and serve the farmers who are leading the future of sustainable agriculture.”
IOCA held its inaugural Board of Directors Meeting in Washington, D.C. on July 15-16, 2026. During the visit, IOCA representatives met with policymakers on Capitol Hill to discuss the role intermediate crops can play in strengthening farm profitability, advancing agricultural sustainability, and supporting the growth of domestic low-carbon feedstocks. Dan Lieberman of Nufarm will serve as the Association’s inaugural President.
Perspectives from Founding Member Companies
Chelsey Robinson, Director, Bioeconomy and Sustainable Ag Systems – Ag Affairs, Bayer U.S. Crop Science said, “At Bayer, we’re excited to help bring intermediate oilseed crops to market because they offer a practical solution for farmers, regenerative agriculture, and America’s energy needs. By creating new income opportunities, these crops can help bridge the financial gap farmers often face when adopting regenerative practices while expanding the supply of feedstocks for renewable fuels.”
Jim Hedges, CEO of CoverCress Inc. said, “IOCA formation is a great step forward to help advance policies to support these new crops. Working together, we are excited to see this new market opportunity area grow and increase farmer profitability.”
Igor Radomyshelsky, CEO of Grapevine Energy Holdings, said, “For nearly two decades, Sustainable Oils, our wholly owned subsidiary, has been at the forefront of camelina innovation, developing commercial varieties that deliver strong agronomic performance while creating new revenue opportunities for farmers across the globe. Intermediate crops are one of the rare opportunities in agriculture that can genuinely change the trajectory of our energy future by strengthening domestic energy security, unlocking a new revenue stream for farmers without asking them to give up a single acre, and building a truly global supply chain for low-carbon fuels. As a founding member of IOCA, we are proud to help lead this movement. We believe intermediate crops are a foundational piece of how the world fuels itself sustainably, and our shared mission is to remove the barriers that prevent farmers from adopting them and fully participating in one of agriculture's fastest-growing opportunities."
Dan Lieberman, Global Lead of Sustainability Strategy & Low Carbon Solutions at Nufarm said, “The formation of IOCA reflects a broader shift in how agriculture is contributing to global decarbonization and the energy transition. As demand grows for reliable, scalable, low-carbon renewable feedstocks, intermediate crops can help bridge agricultural productivity, land stewardship, and energy transition objectives in a way that is practical for producers and responsive to market needs. Our priority is to ensure these crops are understood not simply as emerging feedstocks, but as a new agricultural value chain whose adoption depends on clear policy recognition, credible market signals, and fair valuation of the benefits they can deliver.”
Faisal Syed, CEO of Vision Bioenergy Oilseeds said, “this marks an important milestone in our journey to advance intermediate oilseed crops. IOCA is uniquely positioned to solve complex challenges and deliver greater value to our stakeholders.”
About Intermediate Oilseed Crops
Intermediate oilseed crops—including camelina, carinata, and domesticated pennycress—are planted between main crop cycles on farmland that would otherwise sit fallow or idle. Grown across farmland throughout the United States, these crops are harvested for seed oil to produce low- carbon renewable fuels and other downstream products.
Intermediate crops deliver many of the same environmental benefits associated with traditional cover crops, including:
Reduced nutrient runoff
Reduced soil erosion
Improved soil fertility
Increased soil organic matter
Because they are grown in rotation windows that would otherwise be fallow, intermediate crops provide farmers with an additional revenue stream on existing cropland. Intermediate crops support farm profitability alongside broader agricultural sustainability goals without displacing main crops. Oil derived from intermediate crops can be used on its own or blended with other feedstocks to lower the carbon intensity scores of finished fuels, making these crops an increasingly important resource for the renewable fuels industry.
About the Intermediate Oilseed Crop Alliance (IOCA)
The Intermediate Oilseed Crop Alliance (IOCA) is a 501(c)(6) trade association representing companies engaged in the production, development, and commercialization of intermediate oilseed crops, including camelina, carinata, and domesticated pennycress. IOCA advocates for policy that supports these emerging crops and their applications in renewable fuel and value-added agricultural product markets.
Media Contact: Isabel Lane, Executive Director, Isabel.lane@hklaw.com