b'Closed-Loop Supply Chain Manages RegulationPeeking into the production and closed-loop supply chain of Enogen. Joe FunkIN 2011,Syngenta received full deregulation for its Enogenof electricity and 244 billion BTUs of natural gas. These savings corn amylase event 3272. It launched the product with aare equivalent to the power needed to heat several thousand promise and a commitment: to give fuel ethanol producers ahomes while reducing the plant\'s carbon dioxide emissions by means to create more value per gallon of ethanol while offering106 million pounds.targeted corn growers an opportunity to produce a premium- "Early on, one of the things that was different with this value specialty crop. However, the commitment of Enogenclosed-loop supply chain vs. the rest of the seed industry is the is what really was different than other traits: keeping the GMlevel of planning it takes to make it work," says Duane Martin, Enogen corn contained in a contracted, closed-productionhead of Enogen Marketing and Stewardship. "Typically, if you are system completely isolated from commodity corn\'s existinga seed retailer or dealer buying seed, you might place a stock marketing infrastructure.order to sell this year and subsequently manage your unsold By almost everyone\'s account, that commitment has beeninventory as returns back to the seed supplier. We don\'t do that fufilled. The success of the Enogen closed production systemwith Enogen. We know every grower\'s needs before selling is providing the additional benefit of demonstrating that anbegins. Our resellers work closely with their farmers and commu-integrated marketing plan can transfer the added retail value ofnicate their customers\' needs back to Syngenta. Then, because specialty agricultural products through the supply chain back toof the stewardship requirements, we are actually able to track the farm gate.every returned unit of seed. All unused Enogen seed comes The Enogen corn amylase trait is the first genetically modifiedright back to Syngenta. We closely track it all. I would say that output trait in corn for the ethanol industry. The alpha-amylasethis level of planning was one of the things that took a while for enzyme found in Enogen grain helps ethanol plants significantlyeverybody to get used to as we implemented this program."reduce the viscosity of its corn mash and eliminates the need to add a liquid form of the enzyme. This reduction also leadsClosed Grain Production Systemto increased levels of solids loading in the ethanol production"Compared to the negative perception that some folks might process which directly contributes to increased throughput andhave had about how the stewardship framework for Enogen yield. Lower viscosity results in operational cost savings fromwould work, it has worked quite well, Martin says. For the reduced natural gas, electricity and water usage. For example,Enogen growers that participate, most of them find it to be a in a 100-million gallon ethanol production facility, the efficiencyvery manageable system. Ethanol plants like it because they improvements enabled by the addition of Enogen grain can pro- know they have a dependable grain supply. Livestock producers vide annual savings of 450,000 gallons of water, 1.3 million KWhalso like it. We have moved from viewing this production system 12/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2020'