Nearly 3.8 million tons of distillers dry grains are created in domestic dry grind ethanol production; farmer-owned cooperatives represent 48% of that production. For every bushel of corn made into ethanol, 18 pounds of DDGS are created and must maintain value to contribute to plant profitability. The capacity for ethanol production is set to double by 2005 and assuming that dry grind production doubles as well, the potential supply of DDGS is almost 7 million tons.

The corn kernel is mostly starch at 61% of the wet weight, with protein, fiber, corn oil and water making up the remaining 39%. The dry grind ethanol process uses most of the starch present in the corn kernel during ethanol fermentation, leaving protein, fat, minerals and vitamins behind in a concentrated form. The forms of this ethanol co-product are Corn Distillers Dried Grains (DDG), Corn Condensed Distillers Solubles (CDS), Corn Distillers Dried Grains/ Solubles (DDGS), and Wet Distillers Grains with solubles (WDGS).

NCGA has been actively promoting the use of DDGS in livestock and poultry diets through educational workshops hosted on a regional basis with program partners. The association has also created an educational video on distillers grains production to use as a promotional tool with livestock nutritionists and animal consultants.

Value-added products from distillers grains are also being explored in greater depth with a feed industry partner.