Indiana farmers know how to grow corn. Indiana is the fifth-largest corn-producing state in the country, according to the USDA. Indiana ethanol producers know how to turn that corn into a valuable renewable fuel. The state’s 15 ethanol plants produce more than 1.4 billion gallons per year.
Corn checkoff organizations, such as the Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC) and the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), make it a priority to find buyers for ethanol and improve the value of Indiana’s corn crop. To accomplish this mission, ICMC and USGC hosted opinion-makers, communication and public officials from Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Peru, Colombia and Chile for a tour of Indiana’s ethanol supply chain.
The tour started in the cornfield of an Indiana farm, followed a grain truck to a nearby ethanol plant, watched ethanol filling gas tanks at a fuel station, then experienced the power and speed of ethanol-fueled racing cars. The tour attendees learned about the U.S. ethanol industry, the U.S. Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) and the benefits associated with the use of ethanol for transportation. The tour provided first-hand information to Latin American media, allowing them to gather objective details of the U.S. ethanol sector and its potential use in Latin America.
“The purpose of this tour is to highlight the reliability, economic and environmental benefits of U.S.-produced ethanol to people who influence the buying decisions of many people from Latin American countries,” said ICMC Biofuels Director Helena Jette. “We also like to show the high-performance aspect of ethanol. By taking them to see the Shift S3ctor Indy Airstrip Attack half-mile exotic drag racing at the Marion airport where drivers are using E85 racing fuel and the NASCAR Brickyard 200 race where drivers are using E15 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, these influencers were able to see that ethanol enhances performance.”
She added that ethanol helps all Hoosiers by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality. In fact, the American Lung Association reports that ethanol improves air quality by replacing some of the most harmful components in gasoline. This results in 43 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline. Indiana ranks as the 6th-largest producer of U.S. ethanol. The Hoosier State produces nearly 8 percent of the total U.S. ethanol output. Collectively, Indiana’s ethanol plants consume about 45 percent of Indiana’s total corn crop – around 450 million bushels.
The USGC brought the tour group to one of its leaders to start the program. Recent USGC President Josh Miller, a farmer from Anderson, Ind., hosted the tour and explained how he grows the crop that makes the fuel. Miller said, like many Hoosier farmers, much of his corn crop goes toward ethanol production.
“Almost half of Indiana’s corn is converted into ethanol,” Miller said. “Ethanol positively serves our state’s economy, environment and local farmers. The U.S. Grains Council and the state’s corn checkoff are doing all they can to help fuel retailers take full advantage of the benefits of ethanol blends. One of our priorities is to spark conversation and collaboration across the industry. Tours like this support that mission.”
The USGC develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and other related products including distiller’s dried grains with soluble (DDGS) and ethanol. With a full-time presence in 28 locations, the USGC operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. USGC believes exports are vital to economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability.
Source: incornandsoy.org
Photo Credit: US Grains Council
Categories: Indiana, Crops, Corn, Energy