Investing in the future of corn, the National Corn to Ethanol Research Center is set to undergo a $17 million expansion. Illinois Deputy Governor Andy Manar says the state is investing $15 million to boost its top industry.
“This expansion is focused on translating breakthroughs in a lab to jobs out in the field in our economy.” He says, “The expanded center will help train as many as 200 additional workers each year.”
The Illinois Corn Growers Association has also committed $2 million to the project. SIUE Chancellor James T. Minor says the center, which has contributed technology to every ethanol plant in the country, needs expanded capacity. “There are some serious capacity limitations here at NCERC, just physical space to take on additional projects,” he says.
Southwestern Illinois farmer and past president of the National Corn Growers Association Kenneth Hartman Jr. says, “We’re always producing more corn and so we need more markets. It’s all about markets and doubling NCERC is going to help technology, not only for ethanol, but for other products like plastics.”
Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski says she’s requested an additional $250,000 in federal funding for the project. “They need to be able to expand in order to grow and to be able to give startups an opportunity to incubate some of their ideas in this bioeconomy space,” she says.
Design work for the expansion is already underway.
EDITOR’S TAKE:
It is always encouraging to witness this type of support for ag research that is practical and very market/demand oriented. Solutions discovered and perfected in facilities like NCERC positively help grow demand, plus they often help commercial businesses become more efficient and profitable. Congratulations to the corn producers on the expansion of NCERC!
This expansion may not have an immediate timeline for returning benefits and new market developments but, rest assured, it will in the not-too-distant future. That said, keep a close eye on commodity prices, especially corn in this case, to see when the markets rise and are putting more profit in the hands of farmers in your area. When that is the case, make sure you have those producers at the very top of your customer prospect list.
