Photo credit: U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council.
The U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council recently hosted a high-level delegation from Guatemala for a trade and learning mission to Washington, D.C., and Indiana focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation and supporting Guatemala’s national E10 ethanol blending program.
Guatemala is preparing to become the first Central American country in more than 40 years to implement an E10 gasoline blending program, creating potential long-term opportunities for U.S. ethanol exports.
The delegation included leaders from Guatemala’s Congress, officials from the Ministry of Energy and Mines and ethanol industry representatives. Federico Salcedo, USGBC Latin America ethanol strategy lead, and USGBC Ethanol Consultant Lady Gómez accompanied the group during meetings with U.S. government agencies, industry associations and private-sector leaders.
In Washington, the delegation met with representatives of the USGBC, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy. Discussions covered ethanol policy, fuel quality standards, market oversight, consumer education and ethanol’s role in energy security, emissions reduction and rural economic development.
The group then traveled to Indiana, where the Indiana Corn Marketing Council coordinated visits throughout the ethanol value chain. Delegates toured POET’s Alexandria ethanol plant and observed storage and blending operations at a U.S. Energy terminal. They also met with Family Express to discuss retail fuel marketing and consumer outreach and visited Chris Eck’s family farm in Boggstown.
The Indiana visits provided delegates with an overview of how ethanol production connects agriculture and energy while supporting farming communities and generating economic and environmental benefits.
Salcedo said the mission builds on USGBC engagements across Central America and the Caribbean to support ethanol blending programs in the region.
The Council said continued public-private collaboration could expand opportunities for U.S. ethanol exports while helping develop a more diversified and sustainable transportation fuel market in Central America.
Source: U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council, "Guatemalan Leaders Visit United States To Advance E10 Implementation"