The Land Institute

The Land Institute is a U.S.-based nonprofit research organization headquartered in Salina, Kansas, dedicated to developing perennial grain crops and agricultural systems modeled on natural prairie ecosystems. Founded in 1976 by Wes Jackson and Dana Jackson, the institute operates from the premise that annual grain agriculture — the basis of most of the world’s food supply — causes significant soil erosion, water pollution, and ecological degradation, and that developing perennial alternatives could dramatically reduce these impacts. The Land Institute’s most celebrated achievement is the development of Kernza, a perennial grain crop derived from intermediate wheatgrass, which has been brought to commercial production in partnership with food companies including Patagonia Provisions and General Mills. Kernza’s deep, extensive root systems build soil organic matter, sequester carbon, reduce erosion, and improve water quality, making it a flagship example of what the institute calls Natural Systems Agriculture. The Land Institute also conducts research on perennial versions of sorghum, sunflower, and other crops, and engages in collaborative breeding programs with universities and agricultural institutions globally. It publishes research and hosts educational programs through its Prairie Festival, attracting scientists, farmers, and thinkers interested in ecological approaches to food production. The organization’s vision of transforming the genetic and ecological foundations of global grain agriculture represents one of the most ambitious and potentially transformative projects in sustainable food systems science.