US Trade mission to Europe promotes ethanol grains

In Washington, AgInfo reported that the US Grains Council recently hosted a trade mission trip to Europe to discuss opportunities for ethanol.

Colorado Corn Promotion Council Market Development Action Team Member, Nathan Weathers, said: “To try to learn why countries, Italy and Spain, were a little slower in adopting biofuels, as some of the other countries in Europe have adopted really aggressive biofuel programs. Seemed like Italy and Spain were lagging behind. Regards to Italy, they don’t have any of their own production. Everything that Italy does is imported. Spain was that kind of interesting, because they actually have three or four of their own ethanol plants, but they are currently exporting over 50% of their production.”

Weather says the doors of opportunity are wide open for the US to get more corn into those countries. “The follow-up that’ll happen from the meetings that we had, I definitely see opportunities for us ethanol. Now, the thing about us ethanol is it can’t be just any ethanol. See, over in Europe, they’re still having the food versus fuel debate. It has to be low CI score ethanol that can go into Europe.”

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