Latin American Delegation Takes Course At Northern Crops Institute

Recently, the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council sponsored a group of 12 Latin American (LTA) ethanol and fuel importers and representatives for a weeklong course at the Northern Crops Institute (NCI) in Fargo, N.D. to improve their practical knowledge of the U.S. ethanol industry, from corn production to ethanol manufacturing.

"Latin America continues to offer opportunities for expanded ethanol use and trade as countries evaluate and implement gasoline-blending programs, diversify fuel supplies and assess lower-carbon transportation options," said Tom Poole, USGBC manager of ethanol economics and policy.

"In these markets, policy development alone is not enough. Commercial buyers and other institutions also need a practical understanding of how ethanol is produced, priced, contracted, transported, certified and managed in international supply chains and this course accomplished just that."

The Council's delegation included Poole; USGBC LTA Ethanol Consultant Lady Gomez; USGBC LTA Consultant Marcelo Velazquez; USGBC Mercosur Representative Beatriz Pupo; and USGBC Ethanol Technical Consultant and Advisor Rowena Torres-Ordonez.

"The strength of this delegation was its diversity, bringing together fuel suppliers, industry associations, technical experts and academia from five countries at different stages of ethanol market development," Gomez said.

"These institutions play important roles in fuel purchasing, technical evaluation and blending implementation. Learning together helped build a shared understanding of the opportunities and practical challenges involved in expanding ethanol use across the region."

The course was made up of classroom seminars and hands-on activities in at NCI's feed mill and regional corn value chain stakeholders, including an ethanol plant and a family farm. These visits demonstrated the connections between agricultural production, ethanol manufacturing and co-product use.

Classroom sessions covered key aspects of ethanol production and procurement including an overview of U.S. corn supply, ethanol shipping procedures, sustainability certification, lifecycle assessment, carbon capture, emerging fuel applications in aviation and marine transportation and co-products like distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS).

Case study activities and market exercises reinforced the knowledge acquired during site visits and classroom instruction, helping attendees better evaluate opportunities to introduce or expand the use of U.S. ethanol in their countries. Participants were highly engaged throughout the program, exchanging perspectives with U.S. experts and regional counterparts.

"Developing ethanol markets requires public institutions and fuel suppliers to understand both the product and the practical conditions for reliable supply. Procurement knowledge helps decisionmakers understand sourcing options, price risk and ethanol sustainability," Poole said.

"This allows potential customers and policymakers to better evaluate the role of U.S. ethanol in their markets and creates export opportunities for U.S. producers."

Learn more about the Council's work in ethanol on the organization's website.