b'"Corn began overtaking wheat in the 1980s and \'90s,"greenhouse gas emissions and providing a domestic alternative Swanson says. This increase in corn acreage has reshaped theto fossil fuels. Over the past two decades, the ethanol industry agricultural landscape, particularly over the last 20 years. has significantly grown, driving rural economic development Today, more than 40% of U.S. corn production is used as live- and creating a steady market for corn farmers.stock feed for cattle, pigs and poultry. The entire livestock indus- However, ethanols future is less certain than it once was. try, supported by corn feed, has an economic value that annuallyDomestic demand, particularly in the vehicle sector, has pla-exceeds $100 billion. Corn is also used domestically as a keyteaued, particularly as electric vehicles (EVs) become more ingredient in many processed foods, playing a pivotal role in thepopular and fuel efficiency standards rise. By 2030, EVs could $1-trillion U.S. food industry. Increasingly, corn is a key ingredientmake up nearly 40% of new car sales in the United States, poten-in pharmaceuticals, where corn-derived products like sorbitoltially reducing the need for liquid fuels derived from corn. are used in oral care products and medications, and in consumerDespite these trends, Swanson remains optimistic about etha-goods including a variety of industrial products such as adhe- nols future, particularly in the aviation sector. sives, plastics and biochemicals. Corn-based products are alsoI dont anticipate there being battery-operated planes any progressively being developed for biodegradable packaging,time soon, he says. bio-based plastics and textiles, creating an expanding market forThe U.S. government has set ambitious targets for sustain-sustainable goods. able aviation fuels (SAF), aiming to produce three billion gal-lons by 2030 to help decarbonize the aviation industry. Ethanol, Biofuels Contribution to Growth & Future Opportunities already widely produced and integrated into fuel infrastructure, A major driver of corn demand over the past two decades hascould play a significant role in this transition.been the rise of ethanol. Roughly 30% of the U.S. corn harvest"There\'s a lot of excitement about using ethanol as an alterna-now goes into ethanol production. In 2022 alone, U.S. etha- tive aviation fuel," Swanson says. "If its adopted on a large scale, nol production reached 15.5 billion gallons, supporting moreit could boost ethanol demand by 10 to 20%, giving the industry than 70,000 jobs across rural America. As a renewable energya new growth trajectory."source, ethanol has been championed for its role in reducing DECEMBER 2024SEEDWORLD.COM /21'