Wisconsin Ethanol Industry Sets New Export Record

Throughout the week, many farm media outlets have been talking about Wisconsin's new agricultural exports record--which hit $285 billion in goods during the past year. And among the commodities that made figure possible was Wisconsin-produced ethanol.

Josh Morby of the Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance says ethanol exports increased from $14 million in 2010 to $243 million during 2011. Additionally, state exports of Dried Distillers Grains, a co-product of ethanol production that is used as a feed product, increased from $24.7 million in 2010 to $28.5 million last year.

"We know that there is a significant demand, both domestically and internationally, for Wisconsin ethanol and ethanol co-products," Morby said. "Wisconsin is ranked fourth in the nation for ethanol exports and ninth in the nation for the export of DDGs."

Ethanol producers in Wisconsin were able to take advantage of increased global demand for their product in 2011, a trend that we anticipate will continue into 2012, according to the WBIA. Morby says this was good news for the state's nine ethanol producers and their employees.