The IPREFER Project was extensively covered by the farm and agribusiness press between 2019 and 2025. The Team thanks the reporters and the publications for sharing the IPREFER story with the public.

As IPREFER was funded by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture – Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant program (Grant No. 2019-69012-29851), any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in these news articles are those of the author(s) and their sources and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For more information about pennycress commercialization, visit CoverCress, Inc. at https://www.covercress.com/.

• Spangler, Hannah. (2025, May 29). WIU field day showcases pennycress potential. FarmWeekNow.com. https://www.farmweeknow.com/environmental/wiu-field-day-showcases-pennycress-potential/article_1bcc2d78-64ec-439a-9000-b9e4a6134a55.html.
• Rhykerd, Robert J., Sedbrook, John B., Perry, William, Heller, Nicholas, Phippen, Winthrop & Wesley, Tad. (2025, February 17). Pennycress could be a new third cash crop. FarmWeek. https://www.farmweeknow.com/eedition/page-a-017/page_f8ce4a13-6750-5b91-94d0-cf3236d5818f.html.

• Western Illinois University. (2024, November 12). WIU Announces Provost’s Awards for Academic Excellence Winners – Provost’s Award of Excellence in Scholarly and Professional Activities: Win Phippen, Department of Agriculture. https://www.wiu.edu/news/newsrelease.php?release_id=20303.
• Illinois State University Graduate School. (2024, November 8). James L. Fisher 2024 Outstanding Thesis winners announced – Rashmi Dangol (Department of Agriculture, Winner). [Press release]. https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2024/11/james-l-fisher-2024-outstanding-thesis-winners-announced/.
• Egger, Rich. (2024, September 9).Pennycress – The cover crop that could fuel the aviation industry [Radio broadcast]. TriStates Public Radio. https://www.tspr.org/tspr-local-news/2024-09-09/pennycress-the-cover-crop-that-could-fuel-the-aviation-industry
• Hein, Treena. (2024, June). Crossing the threshold. SeedWorld United States, p. 32. https://seedworld.com/cdn/flipbooks/US/flipbook_june2024/index.html?page=4
• Spangler, Hannah. (2024, May 30). Pennycress making transition from weed to cash crop. FarmWeekNow.com. https://www.farmweeknow.com/environmental/pennycress-making-transition-from-weed-to-cash-crop/article_fe5aba42-19cc-11ef-8e5a-83dc3a2b11ce.html.

• Coulter, Phyllis. (2023, September 1). Research on Pennycress aims to grow from weed to cash crop. Illinois Farmer Today. https://agupdate.com/illinoisfarmertoday/news/crop/research-on-pennycress-aims-to-go-from-weed-to-cash-crop/article_427bb07a-4753-11ee-b475-7b96248ce70f.html.
• AURI Explores Market Opportunities for Winter Annual Oilseeds. (2023, May 16). AURI Ag Innovation News.
• WIU to host pennycress field day. (2023, May 8). FarmWeekNow.com. https://www.farmweeknow.com/general/wiu-to-host-pennycress-field-day/article_af9ce6f6-eda3-11ed-af0c-6f8565da4826.html.
• Shipman, Kay. (2023, April 29). ISU cover crop research emerges on several fronts. FarmWeekNow. https://www.farmweeknow.com/environmental/isu-cover-crop-research-emerges-on-several-fronts/article_540059e4-e2be-11ed-81cc-4f6d2d65f417.html.
• Williams, Logan. (2023, March 6). Pennycress crop research continues at Western Illinois University. WEGM TV.  (Article and video) https://www.wgem.com/2023/03/07/pennycress-crop-research-continues-western-illinois-university/
• Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership. (2023, January 6). Illinois researchers develop CoverCress to meet sustainable aviation fuel goals. https://ilsustainableag.org/illinois-researchers-develop-covercress-to-meet-sustainable-aviation-fuel-goals/.

• Mary Phippen honored for outstanding poster at national conference. (2022, November 7). WIU News Service. http://www.wiu.edu/news/newsrelease.php?release_id=18850.
• Williams, Logan. (2022, November 7). WIU research pennycress planted. WEGM TV. (Article and video). https://www.wgem.com/2022/11/07/wiu-research-pennycress-planted/.
• Pospeschil, Jodi. (2022, October 27). Research pennycress planted at Western Illinois University Farm this month. WIU News Service. http://www.wiu.edu/news/newsrelease.php?release_id=18817.
• Shipman, Kay.(2022, October. 13). CoverCress making debut in Illinois fields this fall. FarmWeekNow. https://www.farmweeknow.com/crop_conditions/covercress-making-debut-in-illinois-fields-this-fall/article_dcc84ba4-4a4a-11ed-a3f1-5387409ab3d4.html?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=Informz&utm_campaign=FWN%20Daily%20Update&_zs=3MJ6D1&_zl=Qr1s6.
• Lawrence, Margaret. (2022, September 20). A new cash oilseed cover crop for Midwest corn and soy rotations. About NIFA, https://www.nifa.usda.gov/about-nifa/impacts/new-cash-oilseed-cover-crop-midwest-corn-soybean-rotations?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=.
• Spangler, Holly. (2022, July). Pennycress: The First Cash Cover Crop. Prairie Farmer. https://editions.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?m=67558&i=752196&p=6&ver=html5.
• Anderson, Barb Baylor. (2022, July 22). Creative cover crops can contribute to watershed improvement. FarmWeekNow.https://www.farmweeknow.com/environmental/creative-cover-crops-can-contribute-to-watershed-improvement/article_c23edaa6-0912-11ed-a95f-4f55a380f2c6.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share&fbclid=IwAR0SV49u_sZsDGkLc9VVRUAx59TY8dFEU4ZOtI8oTYGX_tN9TXQa4qL9dQk.
• Schlenker, Charlie. (2022, July 15). Weed being domesticated at ISU and WIU to produce biodiesel, animal feed, and jet fuel. WGLT (NPR from Illinois State University). https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2022-07-18/weed-domesticated-at-isu-and-wiu-to-produce-biodiesel-animal-feed-and-jet-fuel.
• Hill, Ryan. (2022, July 15).  “WIU project studying impact of new cover crop. WGEM TV. https://www.wgem.com/2022/07/14/wiu-project-studying-impact-new-cover-crop/.
  
• Wood, Connor. (2022, July 14). Field Trip: McLean County farmers explore cover crop potential. The Pantagraph, https://pantagraph.com/business/farming/watch-now-mclean-county-farmers-explore-cover-crop-potential/article_6fe1c13a-0230-11ed-a574-7b39ff4da5d5.html.
• Spangler, Holly. (2022, June 15). Pennycress: the first cash cover crop. Prairie Farmer. https://www.farmprogress.com/cover-crops/pennycress-first-cash-cover-crop?NL=FP-013&Issue=FP-013_20220615_FP-013_514&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_1&utm_rid=CPG02000003720673&utm_campaign=68394&utm_medium=email&elq2=2c0751e0ea074369bc1f22664aa09c14&sp_eh=d66066f63b2914269d6538884d3eb53385b585a12154ae79ad1f471ac6d6910fd66066f63b2914269d6538884d3eb53385b585a12154ae79ad1f471ac6d6910f&sp_eh=d66066f63b2914269d6538884d3eb53385b585a12154ae79ad1f471ac6d6910f.
• Coulter, Phyllis. (2022, June 9). Pennycress shows potential in the Midwest. Illinois Farmer Today. https://www.agupdate.com/illinoisfarmertoday/news/crop/pennycress-shows-potential-in-the-midwest/article_96cac3f2-e744-11ec-9da6-c7d8d3b23b91.html
• “Alternative cover crop yielding progress for researchers. (2022, Jun. 7).Tri States Public Radio. https://www.northernpublicradio.org/2022-06-07/alternative-cover-crop-yielding-progress-for-researchers.
• Williams, Logan. “WIU Celebrates Crop Research on Third Pennycress Day.” WGEM TV, (2022, May 26).
• Casson, Kent. (2022, May 19). View from the Cab: Cashing in on a weed.” Central Illinois Farm Network. https://www.centralillinoisfarmnetwork.com/single-post/view-from-the-cab-cashing-in-on-a-weed.
  
• Doran, Tom. (2022, May 16). ISU researching unique cover crop option. AGRINEWS.  https://www.farmweeknow.com/profitability/covercress-bunge-unveil-farm-to-fuel-venture/article_53bbc394-c571-11ec-af89-4bcfa590629d.html.
• Edlund, Clare. (2022, April, 26). Illinois State Agriculture Director visits WIU. WEGM TV. https://www.wgem.com/2022/04/27/illinois-state-agriculture-director-visits-wiu/.
• Rubbelke, Nathan. (2022, April 26). St. Louis agtech startup inks commercial deal with industry giant, raises $26M. St. Louis InnoVation. https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/inno/stories/news/2022/04/26/covercress-bunge-partnership.html.
• Shipman, Kay. (2022, April 26). CoverCress, Bunge unveil farm-to-fuel venture. Farm Week. https://www.farmweeknow.com/profitability/covercress-bunge-unveil-farm-to-fuel-venture/article_53bbc394-c571-11ec-af89-4bcfa590629d.html.
• Bunge and CoverCress Inc. Announce Partnership to Meet Growing Demand for Renewable Fuel Feedstocks. (2022, April 26). Bunge.
• Messina, Ela. (2022, April 1). A homegrown love for science: Graduate student research, promotes use of cover crops. Illinois State University News Service. https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2022/04/a-homegrown-love-for-science-graduate-student-researches-promotes-use-of-cover-crops/.
• Moody, John. (2022, February 16). Team Pennycress: A cooperative of regional institutions takes on an important environmental and economic challenge. Redbird Scholar. https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2022/02/isu-team-pennycress-cooperative/.
  

• Messina, Ela. (2021, October 5). Undergraduate student furthers pennycress research during summer internship experience. Illinois State University Redbird Scholar. https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2021/10/undergraduate-student-furthers-pennycress-research-during-summer-internship-experience/.
• Coss, Kevin. From ‘Weed’ to ‘Worthwhile’: Pennycress Makes Cover Cropping Viable. (2021, August 31). University of Minnesota Office of the the VP for Research. https://research.umn.edu/inquiry/post/weed-worthwhile-pennycress-makes-cover-cropping-viable.
• Coulter, Phyllis. Pennycress establishes new harvest season in Central Illinois Illinois Farmer Today, (2021, July 5). https://pantagraph.com/agriculture/pennycress-establishes-new-harvest-season-in-central-illinois/article_3282e8a9-053c-56db-88e6-fa784bc085ad.html.
• Coulter, Phyllis. New crop establishes new harvest season. Illinois Farmer Today. (2021, July. 1)
• Hanes, Stephanie. Climate versus jobs? Not in this heartland state. Christian Science Monitor. (2021, June 3).
• Nickel, Rod & Karl Plume. Stinkweed to false flax: oilseeds race to reap biofuel bonanza. Reuters. (2021, May 26).
• Shipman, Kay. CoverCress preparing launch of commercial pennycress. FarmWeekNow.com. (2021, May 21).
• McDaniel-Ogletree, Samantha. (2021, May 7). A new crop soon could grow an additional source of revenue for Illinois farmers. Jacksonville Journal-Courier. https://www.agupdate.com/illinoisfarmertoday/news/crop/new-crop-establishes-new-harvest-season/article_89d463ca-d920-11eb-90d4-c309e8bdddde.html.
• Coulter, Phyllis. Agronomist: Creating new crop like flying plane while building it. Illinois Farmer Today. (2021, April 30).
• Shipman, Kay. ISU offers cover crop practicalities in central Illinois. FarmWeekNow.com. (2021, April 20)..
• Wright, Andrew. From Nepal To Minnesota, This Scientist Is Helping Domesticate A New Crop. Forbes. (2021, March 28).
• Tandukar, Zenith. (2021, March 23). Opinion: A pretty penny: pennycress cover crop could help solve the climate puzzle. Agri-Pulse. https://www.agri-pulse.com/authors/363-zenith-tandukar.
• Gertz Husar, Deborah. (2021, Spring). Pennycress Potential. The Whig-Hearld Farm and Field, p.18. https://heraldwhig-il.newsmemory.com/?special=Farm+and+Field.

• Hagaman, Matthew. (2020, Fall). IPREFER: The Wonder Weed. CeMaST Connections, Vol. 1, Fall 2020.
• Sobota, Lenore. (2020, October 13). Wonder weed’ research at Illinois State University called a ‘game-changer’. The Pantagraph. https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/education/watch-now-wonder-weed-research-at-illinois-state-university-called-a-game-changer/article_0982bba5-b904-501b-918a-5dd12becd438.html.
• Menke, Alex. (2020, October 12). Cashing in on Pennycress. WEEK News. https://week.com/2020/10/12/cashing-in-on-pennycress/.
• Coulter, Phyllis. (2020, October 2, 2020). More dollars go into developing pennycress. Illinois Farmer Today. https://www.agupdate.com/illinoisfarmertoday/news/crop/more-dollars-go-into-developing-pennycress/article_e60236fe-028e-11eb-803e-d756825d3a06.html.
• Illinois State University. (2020, September 28). Powerful pennycress: Dr. Sedbrook’s research team is transforming a weed into a crop. Redbird Scholar. https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2020/09/powerful-pennycress/.
• Branch, Rhiannon. (2020, August 14). Domesticated Pennycress: A new cash cover crop in development. Brownfield Ag News. https://brownfieldagnews.com/news/domesticated-pennycress-a-new-cash-cover-crop-in-development/.
• Hatch, Rachel. (2020, June 16). Weed wizard: Professor alters plant genes to create wonder crop. Illinois State University News. https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2020/06/weed-wizard-professor-alters-plant-genes-to-create-wonder-crop/.
• Coulter, Phyllis. Farmers could add dollars with pennycress. Illinois Farmer Today, (2020, April 16). https://www.agupdate.com/illinoisfarmertoday/news/crop/farmers-could-add-dollars-with-pennycress/article_c4f1a470-7e83-11ea-9225-27c2de0f2c69.html.
• CoverCress. (2020, April 13). CoverCress gets $5M in new financing for low CI crop development. Biodiesel Magazine. http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/articles/2516980/covercress-gets-5m-in-new-financing-for-low-ci-crop-development.
• Houghton, Dean. (2020, January). Cover Crops: A Place for Pennycress. The Furrow (John Deere). https://www.johndeerefurrow.com/2020/01/07/a-place-for-pennycress/.
• Britt, Anne B. From stinkweed to oilseed. Nat Food 1: 24-25. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-019-0016-y. Jan 13.

• Hinga, Allie. (2019, October 6). UW-P researcher among those investigating if Midwestern weed could become next fuel crop. Tristate News Telegraph Herald. https://www.telegraphherald.com/news/tri-state/article_94f5751e-1ace-519d-827a-0b2bba93fc15.html.
• Sabata, Lenore. (2019, October 1, 2019). ISU researchers see potential to make dollars with pennycress. The Pantagraph. pantagraph.com/…/article_3e99e9d7-870c-5d4e-925f-a36e96c713c9
• Parkins, Alison. (2019, October 1). Idea of turning common weeds into aviation fuel takes flight. University of Wisconsin Platteville News. https://www.uwplatt.edu/news/idea-turning-common-weeds-aviation-fuel-takes-flight.
• Dyer Shinberger, Darcie & Jodi K. Pospeschil. (2019, Fall). A Crop Worth Millions. Western Magazine for Alumni of Western Illinois University. https://issuu.com/wiualumniassociation/docs/alumni_mag_web_fall_2019.
• Foy, Kellie. USDA grant grows seeds of opportunity in agriculture. (2019, September 19). Vidette Online. http://www.videtteonline.com/news/usda-grant-grows-seeds-of-opportunity-in-agriculture/article_a8b06b8c-da8e-11e9-bb67-e7baa66314a2.html.
• Foust, Spencer. WIU receives $10M for pennycress research. (2019, September 19). The McDonough County Voice, and The Canton Daily Ledger, https://www.cantondailyledger.com/news/20190919/wiu-receives-10-m-for-pennycress-research
• Egger, Rich. WIU School of Agriculture Secures Multi-Million Dollar Grant. (2019, September 18). WGLT 89.1FM. https://www.wglt.org/post/wiu-school-agriculture-secures-multi-million-dollar-grant#stream/0.
• Ramirez, Marc. Western is awarded $10 million for agriculture research. (2019, September 18). Western Courier. https://westerncourier.com/45180/news/western-is-awarded-10-million-for-agriculture-research/.
• Egger, Rich. WIU School of Agriculture Secures Multi-Million Dollar Grant. (2019, September 18). WIUM Tristates Public Radio. https://www.tspr.org/post/wiu-school-agriculture-secures-multi-million-dollar-grant.
• Western Illinois University Announces $10 Million Cover Crop Federal Research Grant. (2019, September 18). Seed Today. seedtoday.com/…/western-illinois-university-announces-10-million-cover-crop-federal-research-grant