The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and its partners Growth Energy, the Renewable Fuels Association and USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service are intensifying their efforts to promote U.S. ethanol exports for the remainder of 2015 and into the future.

“While ethanol exports are up this year and on track to be the second largest on record, that doesn’t necessarily mean we are on an exponential growth curve,� said USGC Chief Economist Mike Dwyer. “Many of the markets we are exporting to this year are discretionary blend markets, and we don’t know if they will continue buying next year due to the falling price of oil. However, long-term I am optimistic about where our industry is headed.�

There is still much work to be done on issues like government mandates, regulations affecting ethanol production and public acceptance in order to truly build long-term demand in global markets for U.S. ethanol.

To guide export development projects, the working group has developed an ethanol export promotion strategy and country-by-country marketing plans for U.S. ethanol in a handful of near-term markets.

The plan will continue to evolve as market assessments are carried out overseas and the Council and its partners bring ethanol-focused trade teams to the United States to tour the entire ethanol production chain.

Click here to read past Global Update articles about ethanol export promotion.