Resources on this page demonstrate the collaborative, cross-disciplinary approach central to KernzaCAP. From the beginning, KernzaCAP built on existing relationships and activities across the areas needed to advance Kernza’s development, while intentionally connecting and integrating work across disciplines and sectors. At the same time, we reflected with project partners and conducted social science research to evaluate what we were learning through this collaborative process.
Reflections and lessons from the Kernza community
Reflections from the Kernza Community
This report details reflections from the process of developing a new perennial grain crop so that other researchers, farmers, businesses, nonprofit staff, policy advocates, and others can learn from our experiences, mistakes, and successes, and hopefully use that knowledge to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their own work.
This analysis and set of recommendations are based on Kernza growers’ and other value chain actors’ perspectives about what has been helpful and appreciated about institutional support for Kernza adopters (Part 1), and what they raised as missing and needed, or even negative, in their relationships with institutional support (Part 2). This is followed by a reflection on the role of institutional mediation in Kernza (Part 3). By institutional support, we mean the work of the universities and nonprofit organizations leading Kernza research, development, adoption, commercialization, value chain coordination and scaling efforts, and the ways that work is in engagement with and supports Kernza adopters. See the accompanying worksheet for an example of how organizations can engage with these recommendations.
This narrative reflection chronicles GLBW staff perspectives on several years' work with early value chain coordination for Kernza and offers lessons learned to inform future innovative crops and cropping systems.
Milestones in Kernza Perennial Grain Development
Learn the history of the development of Kernza perennial grain through major milestones. See the full version here or the highlights version here.
Collaboration as practiced in KernzaCAP
Transdisciplinary Collaboration: Insights from KernzaCAP
This report asks: did KernzaCAP deliver on its transdisciplinary aspirations? What were the effects of this collaboration on the people who were part of it, their work, and the Kernza network overall? This report was authored by KernzaCAP collaborator Dr. Amy Teller (University of Minnesota) in Spring 2026. It presents finding from the analysis of a 2025 Social Network Analysis survey sent out to KernzaCAP collaborators and the broader Kernza network, which was developed and carried out with evaluation partners at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. See the full report here, or the highlights version here.
KernzaCAP Shared Values and Principles
This document contains the Shared Values and Principles of the KernzaCAP project as well as the description of their collaborative development process.
KernzaCAP Race and Equity Framework
The purpose of our race and equity work in this project was to expand perennial agriculture in a way that is fair, inclusive, and benefits all people and communities equitably. This document outlines the KernzaCAP strategy for how and why to engage race and equity in this project and beyond.
Building coordination and capacity across the Kernza network
Peer Strategy Teams were developed to continue momentum on some of the most critical integrative work KernzaCAP has facilitated, specifically in areas where strategic and collaborative effort is impactful and/or essential. See the documents below for descriptions of the purpose, topic areas, and operating procedures of the Peer Strategy Teams.
- Kernza® Non-Licensee Consortium: Peer Strategy Teams - June 2025
- Description & Standard Operating Procedures for Kernza® Peer Strategy Teams: 2025
- Kernza Peer Strategy Groups Biannual Update: May 2026