The ethanol by-product and livestock feed known as distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is now officially recognized as a non-hazardous cargo by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The official IMO classification became final and mandatory under the code of the International Maritime Organization on Jan. 1, 2013, after action by the U.S. Grains Council on behalf of its member …
Corn, Ethanol Industries Drive Rural Economy
According to a new study released by the Missouri Corn Growers Association (MCGA), the state’s corn and ethanol industries are adding to the state’s bottom line. The study, conducted by the University of Missouri Commercial Agriculture Program, reported that the corn and ethanol industries injected $12 billion into Missouri’s economy from 2000 to 2011. Each year, the state’s ethanol industry …
Give the Gift of Time This Holiday
Beginning to panic because you haven’t even begun your holiday shopping? Here is a just in time unique idea – give the gift of time with a corn and bamboo watch. I own one and I recommend it. Sprout Watches manufactures a line of eco-friendly watches that contain corn resin and bamboo. The watches come in multiple colors, but I …
World Corn Supply and Demand
USDA’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) out this week left corn stocks unchanged but lowered the season average price estimate by 20 cents to $7.40 per bushel. USDA maintained corn ending stocks in the U.S. for the marketing year at a tight 647 million bushels, which is about three weeks worth of supply. Globally, USDA slightly lowered the …
Just the Ethanol Facts
The National Corn Growers Association has created a simple website that offers just the facts about ethanol. The website EthanolFacts.com offers information about E15, food versus fuel, energy security, jobs in rural America and more. There is a lot of discussion about ethanol these days, and plenty of need for a look at the facts. That’s why the National Corn …
National Corn Growers Join Urban Air Initiative
Since their stock and trade is the biggest feedstock for ethanol production, it only seems natural that the National Corn Growers Association has joined the Urban Air Initiative, an organization that promotes the human health and environmental benefits of ethanol. The group is a coalition that supports government standards to lower harmful automobile emissions. “Joining UAI will benefit corn farmers …
Bonanza BioEnergy Embraces Enogen
Another U.S. ethanol plant has signed on to use the Enogen trait technology developed by Syngenta North America – Bonanza BioEnergy of Garden City, Kansas. According to Syngenta, Enogen allows corn to express a robust form of alpha amylase enzyme, eliminating the need to use liquid alpha amylase enzymes during dry grind ethanol production. The company also says their trait …
Using White Rot Fungus for Corn Stover Ethanol
There’s new scientific evidence that a certain fungus could help speed up the production of ethanol from corn stover. A study on using the fungus to break down the tough cellulose and related material in this so-called “corn stover” to free up sugars for ethanol fermentation appears in the journal Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research “Treating corn stover with the …
EPA Denies RFS Waiver
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has denied a petition by the governors of poultry producing states that would have waived the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and its requirement for ethanol in the nation’s fuel supply. In its decision to deny the request, EPA said Friday that the RFS itself is not causing economic harm and that suspending the standard would …
Students Rock Ethanol
High school senior Jason Girouard from Brimfield, Massachusetts has won the Ethanol Rocks video contest sponsored by the National Corn Growers Association. Girouard was awarded $1,500. Freshman Emily Yue from Gilford, Connecticut and senior Lewis Kloster of Minneapolis, Minnesota were both awarded second-place honor and $500 a piece. “The purpose of the contest was to get youth interested in learning …