The Deputy Director for Food Security at Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries toured Guardian Energy in Minnesota this week as part of a five-day visit to learn about the state’s agriculture industry hosted by the Minnesota Corn Growers Association.

During the tour, Kimihiko Eura learned about incoming grain handling, grain storage, liquefaction, fermentation, distillation, dried distillers grains (DDGs), corn oil, ethanol shipment and exports at Guardian Energy. “We are interested in learning how ethanol is produced and its impact on the demand and supply of corn. We are also looking at the possibility of importing DDGs to Japan,” Eura said. His visit to Guardian Energy was his first time at an ethanol plant since Japan has none.