The unexpected rise of the ‘Oat Mafia’
Oats are an undersung hero when it comes to sustainable farming. Planted early in the season, they suck up nitrogen that might otherwise leach into groundwater. They’re often paired with red clover, which protects soil from erosion and fixes nitrogen for the other crops. And when added to a corn-soy rotation, oats help break pest cycles, reduce disease pressure, and curb resistant weeds.
They’ve declined in the U.S. in recent decades, but as demand for oat milk rises, it seems natural to assume that the need — and the potential for profit — is there. That was part of Martin Larsen’s hope when he started growing oats in 2018.
But that’s where things get a little stickier. Despite Quaker Oats and General Mills both being headquartered in the Midwest, they overwhelmingly source their oats from Canada. Even after Larsen, a fifth-generation farmer in Minnesota, brought some neighboring farmers on board, the entrenched supply chain proved nearly impossible to break into.
The farmers had issues getting their oats milled and difficulties finding buyers. But Larsen and his fellow farmers weren’t deterred. Instead, they coined a name for their group: the Oat Mafia. They decided to create a supply chain — and, eventually, a mill — of their own.
