MBI International Receives USD A Funding For Ethanol Research LANSING, Mich. MBI International announced it has entered into a cooperative agreement with the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), whereby MBI Interna tional will receive $354,000 to conduct research to improve the uses of dried distillers grains and grass biomass in ethanol production. MBFs effort is part of a broad project initiative be tween MBI, the USDA-ARS and South Dakota State Uni versity to develop new tech nologies to enhance the value of the by-products of ethanol production. MBI has been working with Heartland Grain Fuels (Aber deen, S.D.) for the past few years in an effort to provide new technologies for the etha nol industry to increase profit ability beyond conventional methodologies. One such technology in de velopment is the “quick germ” process of ethanol production, which improves ethanol yield from com and offers higher protein dried distillers grains as a by-product. The collaboration between MBI, USDA, and SDSU will also address the development of technologies that could allow for warm season grasses to use as feedstocks for chemi cals, materials, energy and fuels, broadening the range beyond traditional feedstock sources. The entire project ini tiative of $648,000 includes funding at South Dakota State University and the USDA-ARS facility at South Dakota State. Senator Tim Johnson from South Dakota is a leading ad vocate for renewable fuels, particularly biodiesel and ethanol. He was instrumental in passing a Renewable Fuels Title as part of the FY-2002 Farm Bill and including a re newable fuels standard as part of the 2002 energy bill. “The benefits of this re search will help lead to in creased renewable fuel pro duction, less dependence upon foreign oil, increased farm in come, job creation and eco nomic growth in rural Ameri ca, and environmental and public health gains. The $648,000 earmarked for value added ethanol production will help build upon the work I helped start last year at SDSU to conduct research on in creased production of ethanol from com and other biomass crops,” Johnson said. Dr. Kevin Kephart, director of the Agricultural Experi- ment Station at South Dakota State University, explained that SDSU and many other land-grant institutions are broadening their research, ex tension, and teaching efforts to include agriculturally-based energy production systems. He emphasized the benefits in working with MBI. “Agriculture will be a part of the solution to the nation’s future energy concerns. Part nerships between land-grant universities, USDA-ARS, and industry as a means of tech nology implementation will be critical to the success of efforts in ag-based renewable energy. The work and expertise at MBI complements our inter ests very well and we look for ward to working in this new partnership,” said Kephart. Dr. Mark Stowers, presi dent of MBI, said that the USDA project is indicative of MBFs outreach projects with research universities across the country. Such collabora tion provides a vehicle for MBI technology to be used throughout the country. “We are very pleased to be working with South Dakota State University and the USDA-ARS on this project. We believe that this combined effort in South Dakota will Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 19, 2002, Corn Talk-El5 mm miLi mm make significant contributions to the ethanol industry and will create a technology plat form at South Dakota State University to make additional contributions in the future,” said Stowers. MBI International, a pri vate, nonprofit, 501(c) 3 cor poration, is focused on the de velopment and commercialization of products via biotechnology that in crease farm profitability, bring new food products and phar maceuticals to market, protect Interest In White Com COLUMBUS, Ohio White com, a specialty crop used to make taco shells and com chips, is receiving greater attention among Ohio growers looking for an alternative to yellow feed com. Ohio State University re searchers have completed their sixth year of white com performance trials to assist growers in choosing hybrids that exhibit certain agronomic traits, such as good yields, resistance to diseases and little or no stalk lodging. and clean up the environment, and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. As an integral part of its mission, MBI partners with universities and other centers of excellence to complement world-class research with state of the art business and prod uct development expertise. In achieving its mission, MBI creates new jobs and builds new businesses to stimulate the economy. To learn more about MBI International, visit www.mbi. org. “What we are trying to do is provide some baseline information as a bench mark for which hybrids to use which ones exhibit the best agronomic charac teristics and are suitable for Ohio’s growing conditions,” said Peter Thomison, an Ohio State agronomist. Thomison said the need for white com performance trials is increasing due to the gaining popularity of white com among growers throughout the United States.