The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) recently took another step toward tapping into the market potential of the world’s most populous nation by escorting a group of Indian food and beverage industry leaders on a tour of U.S. farms, ethanol plants and research facilities.
“The Council is making a committed effort to expand market access for U.S. agriculture in India. There is particularly significant interest from Indian animal feed producers in incorporating distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) into cattle and poultry diets to boost protein and fiber content,” said Reece Cannady, USGC regional director for South Asia. “Participants were able to learn about DDGS production and applications and the advantages of using U.S. corn in animal feed and ethanol processing.”
On July 22, Cannady and USGC Senior Ethanol Advisor Sonjoy Mohanty led the group on a tour organized by the Northern Crops Institute, an education and research facility in Fargo, ND, to begin the agenda with an overview of how crops are grown in the region and later processed into ethanol and DDGS. The next day, attendees learned about U.S. agriculture’s sustainability practices and saw them firsthand at a local farm.
The team toured an ethanol plant and met with a fuel distribution company to see how ethanol is produced and blended into gasoline before stopping at a retail fuel station to observe consumer behavior at the pump and understand ethanol’s compatibility with road vehicles.
The delegation then traveled to Minneapolis, MN, on July 25 to meet with representatives from a local farming cooperative.
The itinerary also included a visit to the University of Minnesota, that houses dedicated facilities for ethanol research and poultry diet tests and analysis. Professors there offered presentations to the Council’s group about the benefits of supplementing animal diets with DDGS.
The program concluded with a tour of a local grain elevator, feed mill and dairy operation to show participants how crops are transported and integrated into dairy cattle rations.
“We had a very diverse group join us on this trip, ranging from animal feed producers to brewers and distillers, all interested in how U.S. agricultural goods can increase their efficiency and profits,” Cannady said. “U.S. DDGS improve livestock health and create higher-value products, and I’m excited to help develop a market for corn and corn co-products in India as it continues its rapid economic growth.”
Learn more about the Council’s work in India here.
About The U.S. Grains Council
The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability. Detailed information about the Council and its programs is online at www.grains.org.