Grower Opportunities with Ethanol

Value-Added Grant Program
Adding value to Iowa corn is a growing business. To facilitate this expansion, the Iowa Corn Promotion Board offers a grant program. The Value-Added Iowa Corn Grant Program provides financial assistance to existing and startup businesses that will increase the use of corn.  Feasibility and marketing studies, business plans, process technology and product development are among the qualifying projects, with a percentage of the total project being awarded as a grant to applicants meeting the ICPB's criteria. Information about the grant program and an application can be found in the For Farmers section in the Market Development publications list.

Value-Added Resource Manual/Ethanol Pre-Feasibility Study
The Iowa Value-Added Resource Manual was created to assist growers who are interested in expanding local economic development. The manual is designed to provide information on business structures, financing, state resources, and the basic parameters for processing Iowa's agricultural production. This manual will enable ag entrepreneurs to make informed decisions on pursuing a farmer-owned value-added processing business. For more information or to download the Iowa Value-Added Resource Manual, visit www.iowaagopportunity.org.

Online Pre-feasibility Model
Iowa State University Extension's Agricultural Marketing Resource Center has developed and refined an online ethanol pre-feasibility model to help producers and other potential investors analyze potential ethanol facility investments. For more information about the model, go to http://www.agmrc.org/agmrc/commodity/energy/ethanol/ethanol.htm.

The Agricultural Marketing Research Center provides information to help assess value-added market opportunities, investigate processing options, and understand business and production issues for agricultural commodities and products.