July 24, 2023
BY Erin Voegele
The USDA recently released its Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production Report for July, reporting that corn use for fuel ethanol production in May was down when compared to the same month of last year.
Total corn consumed for alcohol and other uses was 492 million bushels in May, up 6 percent when compared to the previous month, but down 2 percent from May 2022. Usage included 91.6 percent for alcohol and 8.4 percent for other proposes.
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Corn consumed for fuel alcohol was at 438 million bushels, up 6 percent when compared to April, but down 2 percent when compared to May of last year. Corn consumed for dry milling fuel production and wet milling fuel production was 92.6 percent and 7.4 percent, respectively.
The USDA withheld data on the volume of sorghum consumed for fuel alcohol production in May to avoid disclosing data for individual operations.
At dry mills, condensed distillers solubles production was at 101,166 tons in May, up from 88,609 tons the previous month but down from 105,078 tons in May 2022. Corn oil production reached 184,993 tons, up from both 167,162 tons in April and 177,158 tons in May of last year. Distillers dried grains production reached 415,669 tons, up from both 364,967 tons the previous month and 322,855 tons during the same month of the previous year. Distillers dried grains with solubles production was at 1.32 million tons, up from 1.3 million tons in April, but down from 1.33 million tons in May 2022. Modified distillers wet grains production fell to 455,581 tons, down from both 470,528 tons in April and 468,772 tons in May 2022.
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At wet mills, corn germ meal production was at 50,169 tons in May, up from 46,599 tons the previous month, but down from 62,882 tons during the same month of last year. Corn gluten feed production fell to 264,606 tons, down from both 269,495 tons in April and 394,367 tons in May 2022. Corn gluten meal production reached 114,453 tons, up from both 109,135 tons in April and 122,099 tons in May of last year. Wet corn gluten feed production fell to 193,092 tons, down from 194,485 tons the previous month and 205,508 tons during the same month of last year.
At dry and wet mills, carbon dioxide captured was at 218,999 tons in May, up from 198,722 tons in April, but down from 241,519 tons in May 2022.
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.
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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.
SAF Magazine and the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative announced the preliminary agenda for the North American SAF Conference and Expo, being held Sept. 22-24 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.