Ethanol Industry vs Cattle Industry - Part II - Ethanol facts

I thought that before I get to far along in the series I would share some facts and figures about the Ethanol Industry, Beef Industry and Distillers Grain Usage.  These stats and facts are from USDA, NCGA, AMRC, ACE, several journal of animal science papers, and RFA.

- The addition of 1 ethanol plant brings -
     - approximately 700 permanent jobs in the area
     - increase state and local tax revenue by $1.2 Million/year
     - will generate approximately $19.6 million in house hold income.

- A 100 Mil Gal Plant will employ approx 50 workers
     - Ave Annual Salaries range from $25K (general labor) to over $150K (plant manager)
     - most positions pay between $35-60K/year

- Ethanol Industry employs approx 400,000 people (directly and indirectly)

- 1 Bushel of corn produces 2.8 gallons of Ethanol and 17.5 lbs of Dried Distiller Grain (or 45.5 lbs of wet distillers grain)

- 2010 - Corn Usage
     - 38.7% Feed
     - 36.5% Ethanol (which 12-15% will come back as DDGS for feed)
     - 14.5% Export
     - 3.8% High Fructose Corn Syrup
     - 6.5% Other

- 2010 - 13.5 Million Gallon Operation Capacity in the US
     - 2009/2010 - 38.8 million tons of distillers produced
           - Replaced 694 million bu of corn
     - 2010-2011 - projected to produce 42.6 million tons
          - Replaced  842 million bu of corn (projected)

- Beef Industry fed 16.07 million tons of distillers grain in 2009-2010 and is projected to feed 17.66 million tons of dry distillers grain in 2010-2011

- Total Corn Replacement (domestic and export) by Distiller Grain
     - 2009/2010 - 1.05 Billion Bu
     - 2010/2011 (projected) - 1.2 Billion Bu

- US Cow herd is and has been declining since 1996 - 2.9 mil less head since 2007, and 9.8 million less head since 1996. - So do we really need as many bu of corn as we did before the "Ethanol Boom"???

- Cost of shipping 1 pound of protein 400 miles - Distillers Grain vs. Alfalfa Hay
Assumptions - DDGS - 28.5% CP (DM basis) Good Alfalfa 18% CP (DM basis)
Freight - 54000 lbs of DDGS or Alfalfa at a cost of $1.95/running mile
    - 1 truck load = $780/load in freight charges
         1 truck ld of DDG = 13,851 lbs of CP = $0.06/lb of CP freight charge
         1 truck ld of Alfalfa = 8,748 lbs of CP = $0.09/lb of CP freight charge

Next topic will start into the process of making Ethanol and Distillers Grain!!