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WILCOX, Neb. – March 28, 2011
–Gale Lush, Chairman of the American Corn Growers Foundation (ACGF)
is blasting food processing companies and their associations,
the petroleum industry, environmental groups, big livestock
feeding entities and others who are targeting their corn and
ethanol misinformation campaigns at members of Congress, public
policy officials and consumers. “One bushel of corn yields a
wealth of feed, food and fuel products for consumers. Plus,
ethanol is a major U. S. energy security bonus as well,” said
Lush.
 “Instead
of attacking ethanol and corn growers, members of Congress and
industry leaders, environmentalists, and yes, consumers, should
be supporting corn farmers for holding down gas prices, creating
jobs and building the nation’s economy. Why not thank farmers
for helping feed the world, while fueling our great nation and
reducing our dependence on oil regimes that are affiliated with
terrorists?” asked Lush. “One-third of every bushel of corn
processed into ethanol is enhanced and returned to the animal
feed market in the form of distillers grains (which has about
40% of the feed value of raw corn), corn gluten feed or corn
gluten meal. U.S. ethanol, in terms of gasoline equivalent in
2011, nearly matches Canada, America’s No. 1 oil supplier.”
Ethanol production utilized the
protein and other components in 3.8 billion bushels of corn in
2009 to produce 30.5 million metric tons of high quality
livestock feed, distillers grains and corn gluten feed and meal,
while using only the STARCH to produce 10.6 billion gallons
of ethanol. (high protein feed co-products from ethanol
shown below)
What's in a Bushel of Corn?
North Dakota State University Extension Service Reports:
 Each
bushel of corn can produce up to 2.5 gallons (ACGF note:
According to USDA modern ethanol plants are producing about 2.8
gallons per bushel of corn in 2011) of ethanol fuel. Only the
starch from the corn is used to make ethanol. Most of the
substance of the corn kernel remains, leaving the protein and
valuable co-products to be used in the production of food for
people, livestock feed, and various chemicals. For example, that
same bushel of corn (56 lbs.) used in ethanol manufacturing can
also produce the following: The corn oil is used in producing
food for human consumption. For example, 1.5 lbs of corn oil
from a bushel of corn is equivalent to 2 lbs of margarine. The
21% protein feed is used in making high protein livestock feed.
The carbon dioxide is used as a refrigerant, in carbonated
beverages, to help vegetable crops to grow more rapidly in
greenhouses, and to flush oil wells. Only the starch of the corn
(carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen) is used to make ethanol. |
