Three global agribusiness giants have teamed up to explore technologies and processes to turn crop residues into feed and bioenergy products.

Archer Daniels Midland Company, Deere & Company and Monsanto Company will work together to identify environmentally and economically sustainable methods for the harvest, storage and transport of corn stover that can be used as feed for animals, as biomass to generate steam and electricity or as a cellulosic feedstock for biofuel production.

The companies intend to address some of the challenges involved in utilizing corn stover for these multiple needs. For example, stover collection rates need to be adjusted on a field-by-field basis to ensure that sufficient stover is left on the soil to reduce erosion and maintain or improve soil quality for the next season’s crop. Also, the amount of moisture in the stover at harvest can present challenges in transportation and storage.