Corn, a golden staple of our diets, is making headlines for its growing role in fueling our vehicles. The USDA’s recent data unveils an interesting trend – more corn is being used for ethanol production.
In July, the corn fields had something to celebrate. The month saw a 2% increase in corn consumed compared to June and a 1% increase from July 2022, totaling an impressive 504 million bushels. Most of this – a whopping 92% – was turned into alcohol, with the remaining 8% used for various other needs.
Corn dedicated to fuel alcohol production reached 454 million bushels in July, marking a 3% increase from the previous month and a 2% increase year-over-year. Whether for dry milling or wet milling, corn was the star, contributing 91.9% and 8.1% respectively.
And there’s more! Corn used for industrial alcohol production reached 7.19 million bushels, showing growth from the previous month and year. However, not all sectors saw growth – corn for beverage alcohol saw a decrease in July.
Looking at the by-products, the production at dry mills showed mixed results. While some products like condensed distillers solubles and corn oil saw a decrease, distillers dried grains and modified distillers' grains showed an increase compared to June, with some variations from the previous year.
This tale of corn is one of growth and versatility. Corn’s increasing contribution to fuel ethanol production paints a picture of a resource that’s not just feeding us but also fueling a sustainable future.
Source : wisconsinagconnection