The United States serves as the world leader in the supply and export of ethanol. In 2023, the U.S.’s production of 15.6 billion gallons of ethanol represented 53 percent of the global output. Wendell Shauman, past chairman of the U.S. Grains Councils gives a look into the United States’ role in global ethanol markets.
“We sell ethanol to 75 countries now around the world. We sell[distiller’s dried grains with solubles] DDGs, and we sold $3 billion last year. We got a 14% increase this year,” says Shauman. “So we have a lot of exports and benefits, but we’ve got a lot of competition too, and it’s sometimes self-inflicted.”
According to the U.S. Grains Council, DDGS exports have grown from 5 million tons in 2009 to 10 million metric tons going to 5 countries in 2023.
Listen to more on ethanol markets from the 2024 FS Fall Ag Roundtable here:
