Visitors from South America tour Indiana ethanol plants

INDIANAPOLIS — Influencers from Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Peru, Colombia and Chile toured Indiana’s ethanol supply chain, thanks to a trip hosted by Indiana’s corn checkoff organizations and the U.S. Grains Council.

The tour followed corn’s journey from cornfield to grain truck to ethanol plant. They also visited ethanol gas stations and watched ethanol-fueled race cars on the track.

Attendees learned about the U.S. ethanol industry, the U.S. Renewable Fuels Standard and the benefits associated with the use of ethanol for transportation.

The tour provided firsthand information to Latin American media, allowing them to gather objective details of the U.S. ethanol sector and its potential use in Latin America.

“The purpose of this tour is to highlight the reliability, economic and environmental benefits of U.S.-produced ethanol to people who influence the buying decisions of many people from Latin American countries,” said Indiana Corn Marketing Council Biofuels Director Helena Jette.

“We also like to show the high-performance aspect of ethanol. By taking them to see the Shift S3ctor Indy Airstrip Attack half-mile exotic drag racing at the Marion airport where drivers are using E85 racing fuel and the NASCAR Brickyard 200 race where drivers are using E15 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, these influencers were able to see that ethanol enhances performance.”

Facts

• Indiana ranks as the sixth-largest producer of U.S. ethanol.

• The Hoosier state produces nearly 8% of the total U.S. ethanol output.

• Collectively, Indiana’s ethanol plants consume about 45% of Indiana’s total corn crop — around 450 million bushels.