OMAHA (DTN) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture Friday announced full deregulation of an amylase-producing corn designed for ethanol production, the first true "output trait" corn created by genetic engineering for the U.S. market.
Because it is designed for ethanol, not feed or food uses, the corn will be one of the first tests of a separate production and channeling system for a GE trait. The North American Millers Association spoke against deregulation by USDA due to concerns that if corn with the trait found its way into food processing, it could harm production of items such as corn chips.
The trait itself was approved by the FDA for all food and feed uses.
The corn, known technically as "Event 3272," was created by Syngenta Seeds and will be sold under that company's newly created Enogen brand. The first commercial hybrids will be available in 2011, and will be grown under direct contracts with farmers in the Western Corn Belt. This year's crop will specifically be grown for the Western Plains Energy, L.L.C. ethanol plant in Oakley, Kan. Western Plains has been the test facility for Event 3272 corn grown under regulated status. According to Syngenta reports, Western Plains saw an 8 percent increase in ethanol production and an 8 percent reduction in natural gas needs.
The Enogen trait's advantage is the corn produces its own alpha-amylase enzymes when the kernels are subjected to the heat and humidity of the ethanol production process. Those enzymes break corn starch down into sugar for ethanol production. In standard Yellow No. 2 corn, such enzymes have to be added during production.
Syngenta materials say that for a 100-million-gallon ethanol plant, using Enogen corn, will cut water needs by 450,000 gallons per year, and reduce natural gas usage by 244 billion BTUs. "It amounts to about $10 million, or 8 to 10 cents per gallon of ethanol, in annual reduced costs," said Jack Bernens, head of technology acceptance for Syngenta Seeds.
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