This edition of “The Ethanol Report” features comments from Renewable Fuels Association (RA) President and CEO Bob Dinneen and U.S. Grains Council (USGC) CEO and president Tom Dorr about promoting exports of the ethanol co-product distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS).

The two organizations are working together on the upcoming “Export Exchange” conference that will focus on increasing U.S. exports of DDGS. “This is going to be an opportunity for two and a half days in which people can get together, meet with buyers, meet with producers, listen to nutritionists, analysts and others explain the value of how to use and how to access these products,” says Dorr.

Dinneen says exports are critical because the industry has already hit “a feed wall” when it comes to use of DDGS in the domestic livestock industry. “While domestic markets for DDGS continue to expand, quite frankly we’ve grown that market pretty rapidly over the last several years and the opportunity for continued expansion domestically are fewer and farther between.” That’s why RFA believes the conference is a must-attend event for ethanol producers. “Because DDG marketing is so important to the bottom line of an ethanol producer. About 40 percent of your feedstock costs can be recovered in the marketing of DDG,” Dinneen said.

The Export Exchange is being held October 6-8 at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Hotel in Chicago, Ill. More information and registration is available on-line here.

Listen to or download the Ethanol Report here: Export Exchange Ethanol Report