Milling & Baking News - June 29, 2010 - 7

Editorial



Caution about feed as rationale for wheat alcohol

or anyone in grain-based foods, it would be resulting from refining wheat "can reduce pressures
difficult to imagine a more disconcerting con- on the world's threatened rainforests by reducing
cept than using large quantities of wheat to Europe's growing demand for soy meal imports." It
produce ethanol and distillers dried grains. For the cites what it says are scientific studies proving that
American industry particularly, that idea is chilling a dramatic expansion of acreage to produce wheat
even though expanding use of wheat to make alco- for refining would slash the need for Europe's large
hol is an idea mainly heard in Europe. Grain-based soybean meal imports.
foods in the United States primarily has had to cope
Indeed, this study suggests it would take the
with the effect on wheat prices of expanding use wheat outturn from 54 million acres (the harvested
of corn in making ethanol. Indeed, the latter has area for the 2009 U.S. wheat crop was 50 million
prompted sufficient controversy that the thought of acres) to produce enough distillers dried grains
turning to wheat refining is beyond belief. As far re- from wheat to end totally the continent's reliance
moved from reality as this may be, it merits exami- on meal imports. Such an area is unthinkable. Yet,
nation as a development that might surface in the citing this feed-related benefit is a new twist in the
increasingly aggressive search
advocacy of expanded ethanol
Grain-based foods would be
for alternative fuels.
production.
well advised to understand
The basic fact is that both
Distillers dried grains have 30
that expanded wheat use
wheat and corn are adequate as
per cent crude protein content,
is being pushed by some
raw materials for producing ethcompared with 50 per cent for
European interests.
anol. Corn accounts for almost all
soy meal. Actually, D.D.G. made
the U.S. output of ethanol because it is the much from refining wheat has more protein than feed
less expensive raw material. But in Europe, where processed from corn, reflecting the higher protein
wheat is more easily grown than corn, the ethanol of wheat. At the same time, D.D.G. from wheat has
focus has been on wheat. Of the 7.6 million tonnes a lower energy component, and the inclination is
of grain that will be processed in making ethanol to claim little difference between the two. Global
in the European Union in 2009-10, wheat totals 4.5 D.D.G. output in 2009-10 is estimated at 39 million
million, or nearly 60 per cent. The International tonnes as the byproduct of the 124.5 million tonnes
Grains Council has estimated that of the 124.5 mil- being processed.
lion tonnes of grain that will be used to make ethaRegardless of whether or not the effort to relate
nol in all countries in 2009-10, wheat will amount to producing ethanol from wheat to saving rainfor5.6 million, or 4.5 per cent. Corn's worldwide share ests will ever cause more wheat to be used for this
is an overwhelming 93 per cent.
purpose, the sudden focus on the importance of the
Rather than deriving comfort from the minor feed product is a stark reminder of its role. Like
role wheat has, grain-based foods would be well millfeed in flour milling, soybean meal in soybean
advised to understand that expanded wheat use crushing and corn gluten feed and meal in corn
is being pushed by some European interests. For refining, D.D.G. is significant to the economics of
instance, a company that is about to start a ma- ethanol production. It is the lack of this product in
jor new refining plant in England has sought to processing other agricultural products like grasses
capture public endorsement for wheat use by not that largely stands in the way of their acceptance.
only promoting the supposed benefits of fuel be- But this role ought not to become the rationale for
ing made from a renewable resource like grain but stepped up conversion of wheat into alcohol to the
also by asserting that the high protein animal feed detriment of the food supply. MBN

MORTON SOSLAND, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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Milling & Baking News, 4800 Main Street, Suite 100, Kansas City, Mo, 64112
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7bakingbusiness.com
/ March 13, 2007 
/ world-grain.com
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