Checkoff Grows Export Market for U.S. DDGS

Illinois corn checkoff investment in the U.S. Grains Council has helped build a robust global market for U.S. distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) worth more than $2.24 billion in 2019.

This important market empowers ethanol plant profitability and maintains ethanol markets for corn, which consume 40 percent of U.S.-grown corn each year.

As competition and volume have increased in the ethanol industry, DDGS sales have become an increasingly important profit center as well as a much-demanded feed ingredient by buyers across the globe. 

The U.S. Grains Council’s work with DDGS export market development began in 2003 when its Board of Directors voted to launch a robust, worldwide marketing program for the product involving marketing seminars, buyer education, feeding trials and bi–annual buyer conferences to bring customers together with U.S. suppliers and technical experts.