Photo credit: U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council.
The U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council recently hosted a delegation of Indian feed grain buyers on a tour of U.S. ethanol plants, agricultural operations and export facilities to demonstrate the production, quality and logistics behind U.S. distiller's dried grains with solubles, or DDGS.
Led by USGBC Regional Director for South Asia Reece Cannady, the visit was designed to increase buyers' familiarity with DDGS production and strengthen confidence in the U.S. supply chain as India considers expanded market access for the feed ingredient.
According to USGBC, previous trade delegations have shown growing interest in DDGS after examining production methods and transportation logistics. The organization noted that high vegetable protein prices in India could make U.S. DDGS an attractive feed ingredient for the country's feed milling industry.
The delegation began its visit in Illinois with a tour of the CHS ethanol plant, where participants learned about ethanol production and the creation, drying and shipment of DDGS. The group also visited a U.S. corn farm to learn about crop production practices and met with The DeLong Company to establish trade relationships.
The tour continued in Minnesota with procurement discussions hosted by International Feed Corporation before a visit to Guardian Energy, one of the nation's largest ethanol producers. Participants also met with the Minnesota Corn Growers' Association and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to gain a broader understanding of the U.S. farm economy.
The final leg of the visit took the delegation to export facilities in Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia. Tours led by The Andersons, Inc. and POET highlighted transportation logistics, quality control procedures and export operations. The group also met with Trans Globe to discuss future business opportunities between the United States and India.
USGBC said the visits helped participants better understand the quality standards, production scale and supply chain supporting U.S. DDGS. The organization expects the experience to help Indian feed industry representatives prepare to contract purchases of U.S. DDGS if market access is expanded, creating new export opportunities for U.S. ethanol producers and the industry's co-products.
Source: U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council, "Developing Markets: Indian DDGS Buyers Visit Ethanol Plants, Export Facilities"