yOIL
Albertans are a tough breed. We are a land of ranchers, roughnecks foresters and farmers. We have tilled the earth underneath unforgiving prairie winters and it has caused us to thrive. Rough hands toil the beautiful prairie landscapes painted yellow with budding canola. We were inspired by the true grit of Albertan farmers who stand up to any challenge. This is iGEM Calgary's contribution. This is yOIL.
The Problem
Canola oil is one of Canada's leading exports. In 2017, the Canadian grown canola contributes $26.7 billion to the Canadian economy each year, including more than $250,000 jobs and $11.2 billion in wages. However, the Canadian canola industry faces a number of obstacles all stemming from the same root cause: Green Seed. As canola seeds mature, enzymes break down the green chlorophyll pigment resulting in a mature brown seed. The "green seed problem" arises when canola plants are exposed to frost, drought or other inclement weather before maturation is complete. The chlorophyll degradation pathway is suspended and the seed remains green. What is so bad about that? The farmers we spoke to lamented the fact that their green canola seeds have to be sold at a discount. Farmers like Craig Shand who are forced to go from $10 per bushel to $7 per bushel on his hard earned harvest. The sweat of his brow is leaking back into the earth through the hole in his pocket. It doesn't stop there though. Downstream, canola oil crushers need to spend more money to remove chlorophyll from the canola oil. This process is costly, as pointed out by Dallas Gade, Richardson Oilseed's Engineering Manager, and oil is lost in the process. As if that's not enough, the chlorophyll is The green seed problem is a leech on the canola industry, stealing money out of the hands of farmers and oil producers. With the same grit and dedication of our hard working Albertan farmers, we developed yOIL.
The Solution
References
https://www.canolacouncil.org/markets-stats/industry-overview/