Agricultural commodities for the food and feed industry

Cono grows a variety of agricultural commodities such as cereal grains and oilseeds which are predominantly sold domestically. Growing commodities plays an important role in our sustainability approach. By rotating crops in a diverse and complex pattern we help to balance nutrient and water levels as well as manage weeds, pests, and risk exposure. In other words, it improves the resilience of local ecosystems. To find out more about our agricultural commodity products, or if you have a specific question, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Cereal grains

Grains, commonly referred to as ‘cereals’ or ‘cereal grains’, are the edible seeds of specific grasses belonging to the Poaceae (also known as Gramineae) family and one of the most cultivated crops worldwide. Cereal grains are one of the staples of human food. Most cereal grains are used for food with minimal processing. They are also used as food ingredients, feed grain for livestock, and industrial applications.

Corn

Corn, also known as maize, was first domesticated by indigenous people in Mexico some 10,000 years ago. Corn is a staple in many parts of the world. Fresh corn is frequently eaten steamed or boiled after de-husking. When corn matures and dries out it is used like other grains to make popular grain foods including breakfast cereals, tortillas, polenta, porridge, and corn muffins. Maize is also used in corn starch or corn syrup for animal feed products and in industrial applications such as for making ethanol and biofuels. The six major types of maize are dent corn, flint corn, pod corn, popcorn, flour corn, and sweet corn. Sugar-rich varieties are usually grown for human consumption as kernels, while other varieties are used for corn-based human food usages, animal feed, and other applications. At Cono, we grow semi-dent corn, non-GMO flint corn, and non-GMO popcorn using sustainable corn cultivation techniques.

Wheat

Wheat is the most widely cultivated cereal crops and one of the world’s favourite grains because of its countless applications. Many different types of wheat grain exist. Typically milled into flour, wheat is used in some of the world’s favourite foods, including bread, pasta, tortillas, crackers, scones, muffins, pancakes, porridge, and more. Wheat husks are a great source of fibre for breakfast cereals, or as feed for animal. At Cono, we plant non-GMO hard and soft wheat as a winter crop.

Sorghum

Sorghum is an important staple food of upland, drier areas in Africa and India where no other cereal can successfully be grown. Varieties range in colour from white and pale yellow to red, purple and brown. Sorghum grains can be used as a whole pearled grain, and as flour. In India and the West Indies, sorghum meal is used to make chapatis and unleavened bread. Sorghum grains are used in some multi-grain products, including breakfast cereals or bars, and can be boiled whole and eaten like rice. It is also used in livestock feed and in industrial applications such as ethanol production. Flaked sorghum makes a tasty addition to breakfast cereals, energy bars and snacks. At Cono, we offer non-GMO sorghum for the production of sorghum flour as well as animal feed.

Oilseeds

Oilseeds such as soybeans, rapeseed and sunflower seeds are the foundation for a wide variety of foods, animal feeds and other products.

Soybeans

The soybean or soya bean is a species of legumes native to East Asia. Globally important, this widely grown crop is rich in oil and protein. Most of the world’s soybean crop is processed into oil and meal for animal feed. A smaller percentage of soybeans is processed for human consumption in the form of soymilk, soy flour, soy protein, tofu, and numerous food products. Soybeans are also used in many non-food (industrial) products.

Rapeseed

Rapeseed is a large annual oil crop in the brassica family and is related to mustard, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and turnip. Rapeseed plants grow from three to five feet tall and have yellow flowers. The name ‘canola’ is used to describe rapeseed varieties with low erucic acid and low glucosinolate content in extracted edible oil. Rapeseed is an essential crop which is used in many different areas as edible oil, biodiesel, lubricant, and cattle feed. Canola oil is lower in saturated fats than other vegetable oil, and it has a neutral flavor and high heat tolerance. Rapeseed is also beneficial as a cover crop and for annual forage. Cono grows non-GMO canola.

Sunflower seeds

Sunflowers are considered oilseeds and the two main varieties are oil-type sunflower seeds and non-oil sunflower seeds. Sunflowers are used for cooking oil, meal, and confectionery products. Sunflower oil is a flavorless oil that can be used for baking or frying. Meal, a by-product of the oil extraction process, is used primarily as an ingredient in livestock feed. Confectionary sunflower seeds are generally striped and larger than the oil-type, with a lower oil percentage. Confectionary sunflower seeds are sold as a healthy snack either shelled or hulled, or as an addition to seeded bread. At Cono, we offer sustainably grown, non-GMO oil-type sunflower seeds.