Bloomington, IL – Chuck Studer, former Director of Industry Relations for John Deere’s Agriculture and Turf Division and ethanol advocate, received the Ethanol Award from the Illinois Corn Growers Association November 21, 2017 at the annual meeting in Normal, IL.

Studer, now retired, worked to improve corn demand through creating new opportunities for ethanol.  Chuck was instrumental in developing a Coalition of Ag Auto and Ethanol partners who worked together to move to higher octane fuels produced from higher blends of ethanol into the marketplace.  Auto manufacturers are interested in the pathways this partnership has identified to increase performance and efficiency while lowering emissions in their gasoline engines.

“That John Deere recognized the importance the health of the ethanol industry would have to their own company profits is significant and has everything to do with Chuck Studer and his work with the corn, auto and ethanol industry stakeholders,” said Justin Durdan, ICGA President and Utica farmer.  “Chuck was successful in bringing this diverse group of industry partners together for a common purpose due to his ability to work with others, create relationships, and develop consensus around a vision that the agriculture, ethanol and auto industry could embrace.”

The Ag, Auto, Ethanol Alliance (AAE) includes biofuel feedstock and producer groups, agribusiness partners, infrastructure providers and technical experts.  AAE members are working together to develop strategies to accelerate the transition of transportation fuels to higher octane/lower carbon blends for use in the U.S. light-duty vehicle fleet.  AAE also encourages additional growth in the production of cleaner-burning cars and light trucks on U.S. roads and highways.

John Deere and Studer have remained invested in this work, knowing that increased ethanol usage boosts rural economies, and when farmers do well, the ag input sector does well.

Before his retirement, Studer worked with stakeholders across North America who share an interest in the future of agriculture and who work the land.  In more than 36 years at Deere, Chuck worked in various product-support, sales, marketing, credit, precision-agriculture and dealer-development capacities across the United States.

Studer has a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture engineering from the University of Illinois.