Animal feed will overtake ethanol as biggest use for corn

Animal feed is projected to overtake fuel as the biggest use for corn because ethanol demand is slowing while farmers produce a record crop. The BGOV Barometer shows the proportion of the harvest going to ethanol in the year ending August 31, 2013, is forecast to fall to 35 percent of the corn crop from 40 percent this year, according to US Department of Agriculture data.

Animal feed will again be the largest use of the grain, after being overtaken by ethanol in 2011 and 2012, potentially quelling lawmaker demands to repeal federal biofuel subsidies that they blame for squeezing corn supplies and pushing up food costs. Read more ...