July 30, 2019
BY Erin Krueger
The USDA recently released its Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production report with data from May, reporting that corn consumed for fuel ethanol was up from the previous month, but down when compared to May 2018.
Total corn consumed for alcohol and other uses was 516 million bushels in May, up 5 percent from April but down 2 percent from May 2018. May 2019 usage included 90.9 percent for alcohol and 9.1 percent for other purposes.
Advertisement
Corn consumed for fuel alcohol was at 460 million bushels, up 4 percent from April, but down 2 percent from May 2018. Corn consumed in May for dry milling fuel production and wet milling fuel production was 91 percent and 9 percent, respectively.
Sorghum consumed for fuel alcohol production reached 5.176 million hundredweight (cwt) (289,856 tons) in May, up from 4.418 million cwt in April and 3.964 million cwt in May 2018.
At dry mills, condensed distillers solubles production fell to 115,580 tons, down from 127,703 tons in April and 137,929 tons in May 2018. Corn oil production was at 157,621 tons, up from 150,114 tons in April, but down from 159,718 tons in May of the previous year. Distiller dried grains production reached 401,171 ton, up from 376,775 tons in April and 392,070 tons in May 2018. Distillers dried grains with solubles production was at 1.94 million tons, up from 1.86 million tons in April but down from 1.97 million tons in May 2018. Distillers wet grains production fell to 1.34 million tons, down from 1.35 million tons in April and 1.4 million tons in May of the previous year. Modified distillers wet grains production was at 456,717 tons, up from 364,589 tons in April, but down from 467,398 tons in May 2018.
Advertisement
At wet mills, corn germ meal production was at 68,852 tons, down from 69,703 tons in April, but up from 62,146 tons in May 2018. Corn gluten feed production increased to 298,347 tons, up from 296,681 tons in April and 291,542 tons in May of the previous year. Corn gluten meal production increased to 93,185 tons, up from 91,364 tons in April and 92,487 tons in May 2018. Wet corn gluten feed production was at 269,967 ton, up from 253,959 tons in April and 280,979 tons in May of the previous year.
Carbon dioxide captured at wet and dry mills reached 236,441 tons, up from 223,667 tons in April and 214,508 tons in May 2018.
The USDA significantly increased its estimate for 2025-’26 soybean oil use in biofuel production in its latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, released July 11. The outlook for soybean production was revised down.
U.S. fuel ethanol capacity fell slightly in April, while biodiesel and renewable diesel capacity held steady, according to data released by the U.S. EIA on June 30. Feedstock consumption was down when compared to the previous month.
The U.S. EPA on July 8 hosted virtual public hearing to gather input on the agency’s recently released proposed rule to set 2026 and 2027 RFS RVOs. Members of the biofuel industry were among those to offer testimony during the event.
The USDA’s Risk Management Agency is implementing multiple changes to the Camelina pilot insurance program for the 2026 and succeeding crop years. The changes will expand coverage options and provide greater flexibility for producers.
The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service on June 30 released its annual Acreage report, estimating that 83.4 million acres of soybeans have been planted in the U.S. this year, down 4% when compared to 2024.