Corn Power!

Central Minnesota Ethanol Cooperative (CMEC) of Little Falls, Minnesota is a new generation cooperative formed specifically for the purpose of producing fuel grade ethanol and dried distillers drains with solubles from the processing of locally produced corn. The plant produces 20 milliongallons per year of 100% ethanol and 60,000 tons of DDGS, a high protein animal feed, from approximately 7 million bushels of corn.

Although gasoline prices may be leveling off, “I don’t think we’ll ever see dollar-a-gallon gas again,” says Max Norris, an Agricultual Utilization Research Institute (AURI) oil scientist. “The floor is going to be higher than it has ever been —we’ll be happy with $1.35 gas.” Proposed solutions range from driving more fuel-efficient cars to drilling oil in the Alaskan wilderness. But there are farm solutions as well — in crops and livestock.

CMEC produces an environmentally-friendly, renewable energy source to the people of Minnesota from homegrown corn. CMEC’s co-op members are in a multitude of farming communities, comprising Morrison County, that generate the production of over 10 million bushels of corn each year. The cooperative has over 800 shareholders and 27 employees. All the ethanol produced from the plant is sold in the state of Minnesota, while the animal feed is sold as far away as Washington and Oregon.

An Improved Environment

This year, the Minnesota Legislature was the first in the nation to consider mandating a two-percent biodiesel blend in all Minnesota diesel pumps by July 2003 — a minimal mandate since studies show diesel engines run efficiently on up to 20-percent soy-based fuel. Soy-based additives reduce sulfur emissions and keep engines lubricated. Though political maneuvers socked the measure this year, Max says supporters “may be deterred but we’re not gone; we’ll be back.” The added one-cent-per-gallon cost may be controversial, Max says, but “we have to decide whether we want to contribute to an improved environment and if we’re willing to spend a penny to do that.”

A National Movement

There is also a national movement to add soy-based fuels to the 41 billion gallons of diesel consumed annually. U.S. Senators Mark Dayton, a Democrat from Minnesota, and Tim Hutchinson, a Republican from Arkansas, are cosponsoring a bill to provide a national three-cent-per-gallon tax credit for two-percent biodiesel blends. In the southwestern United States, gas stations are offeringup to a 20-percent biodiesel blend.

“You can burn anything and get energy out of it,” Max says. “I look at all these biocrops; these are materials that have energy potential — some will work better than others. We’re on an alternative, renewable energy road that we must walk down.”

Biodiesel is an important part of the farm energy solution and CMEC is a cooperative that is proud to be at the forefront of this growing national movement.