Last week, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) welcomed a group of Japanese reporters to Illinois and Washington, D.C. to gain insight into ethanol production and applications and how the commodity can be properly implemented in Japan.
Last year, Japan’s government announced its intention for the country’s gasoline to be blended with 10 percent ethanol (E10) by 2030 and E20 by 2040, sparking interest from media and consumers in biofuels.
After the plant visit, the delegation met representatives from Illinois Corn, a USGC member, and stopped at a local corn farm to see how biofuels are responsibly produced from the very start.
“Media members were keen to join us on this program to continue educating the general public about ethanol’s benefits and applications for everyday use,” said Tommy Hamamoto, USGC director in Japan. “Breaking down social barriers and stigmas about biofuels will ease ethanol’s integration into Japan’s energy economy and help meet the government’s blending goals.”
Participants interviewed stakeholders along the value chain for their perspective on the importance of biofuels in the global energy economy. Pictured, the delegation speaks to Paul Jeschke on his farm in Mazon, IL.
The group visited a retail fuel station in Downers Grove, IL, where they observed consumer activity, studied fuel pumps to see how ethanol is marketed to customers and learned about ethanol’s broad compatibility with everyday consumer vehicles.
The program wrapped up in Washington with a series of high-level meetings with industry experts and policymakers in the agricultural sector. The team is pictured outside Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s legislative office following discussions about biofuel’s impact on the state’s economy.
“By offering a holistic view of the ethanol value chain, including environmental and economic benefits of biofuel adoption, team participants will be able to share their knowledge with broad audiences in Japan and sustain U.S. corn exports to Japan for the foreseeable future,” Hamamoto said.
Learn more about the Council’s work in Japan 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.