Corn Refiners Association

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. What is corn wet milling?
A. The corn wet milling process separates corn into its four basic components: starch, germ, fiber and protein. After the components are separated, fiber and protein are made into animal feedstuffs, germ is further refined into corn oil and starch can be further refined to create starches with specific characteristics, a wide variety of sweeteners, bioproducts and ethanol. Click on the highlighted text to learn more about each item.

Q. Who are your members ?
A. CRA represents companies that refine corn using the wet milling process. CRA members include: Archr Daniels Midland Company; Cargill, Incorporated; Corn Products International, Inc.; National Starch and Chemical Company; Penford Products Co.; Roquette America, Inc. and Tate & Lyle Ingredients Americas, Inc.

Q. Can I become a member?
A. CRA represents only those companies that wet mill corn. The association does not have any individual or associate memberships.

Q. How much corn does the industry use?
A. In 2005, the wet milling industry used over 1.9 billion bushels of corn. The total corn crop in 2005 was 11.8 billion bushels.

Q. How is the rest of the corn used?
A. Most of the corn produced in the U.S., over 50%, is used to feed animals. Over 15% is exported. The rest is used to make cereal and other products, kept as seed for the next crop or kept as ending stocks.
Total Corn Production 2005 - 11.8 billion bushels
Feed - 6.0 billion bushels
Export - 1.8 billion bushels
Cereal/Other - 189 million bushels
Seed - 20.7 million bushels
Ending Stocks - 2.2 billion bushels
Source: USDA/ERS

Q. What is the difference between bushels and tons?
A. 1 bushel = 56 pounds
35.7 bushels = one short ton = 2,000 lbs
39.4 bushels = one metric ton = 2,204.6 lbs

Q. How much energy can be produced from a bushel of corn?
A. The ethanol made from one bushel of shelled corn can provide 197,000 to 225,120 Btus depending on the recovery rate.

Q. What kind of corn does the wet milling industry use?
A. Corn wet millers typically use #2 yellow dent corn. Some refiners use waxy or high amylose varieties of corn to make starches with very specific qualities and end uses.

Q. What are the physical properties of dent corn?
A. Kernels per ear 800 average, 500 to 1,200 range
Kernels per pound 1,300 avg., 900 to 1,800 range
Specific gravity 1.26
Thermal conductivity
(Btu/(hr.)(ft.2)(F/in) 1.22
Specific heat 0.486
Heat energy content (Btu/lb) 8,075
Source: Corn Chemistry and Technology, p. 59

Q. How can I purchase corn refined products (starch, syrup, sweeteners)?
A. Please contact our Members directly. A list of members with links to their web sites is available. Please click here.

Q. How much does the corn refining industry produce?
A. CRA member shipments in 2005 were:
starch: 6.7 billion pounds
high fructose corn syrup: 23.5 billion pounds
corn oil: 1.1 billion pounds
corn gluten feed/corn oil meal: 10 billion pounds
corn gluten meal: 2.5 billion pounds
steepwater: 1.3 billion pounds

Q. How many items in an average grocery store contain corn wet milled products?
A. About 13 percent include corn wet milled ingredients. A survey conducted by the association in February 1999 found 3,795 items containing 7,366 refined corn ingredients in a store containing approximately 30,000 items total.

Q. Where can I get information on machinery used in corn plants?
A. Many of the exhibitors at the Corn Utilization and Technology Conference provide the wet milling industry with a variety of supplies including machinery. Please see the list of exhibitors from the 2004 conference including descriptions and contact information.

Q. Where can I get information on purchasing corn for export?
A. The U.S. Grains Council lists a number of providers of commodity corn as well as details on purchasing specifications. Please see their web site at http://www.grains.org .

Q. Where can I get information on corn flakes, corn grits and cornmeal?
A. Corn flakes, corn grits, and corn meal are made using the "dry milling" process. For information on corn dry milling, contact the North American Millers' Association, 600 Maryland Ave., S.W., Suite 305-West, Washington, D.C. 20024; telephone 202-484-2200, fax 202-488-7416. You can visit the NAMA web site at http://www.namamillers.org.

Q. Where can I get information on corn growing questions?
A. For corn growing questions, contact the National Corn Growers Association, 632 Cepi Drive, Chesterfield, MO; telephone 636-733-9004; fax 636-733-9005. You can visit the NCGA web site at http://www.ncga.com .

Q. Where can I get information on ethanol?
For information on ethanol, contact the Renewable Fuels Association, 1 Massachusetts Ave., N.W. Suite 820, Washington, D.C. 20001; telephone 202-289-3835; fax 202-289-7519. You can visit the RFA web site at http://www.ethanolrfa.org .

Q. Where can I get information on popcorn?
A. For information on popcorn, contact the Popcorn Institute, 401 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611-4267; telephone 312-644-6610; fax 312-321-6869. You can visit Popcorn Institute web site at http://www.popcorn.org .

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