This week, a delegation of nine South Korean aviation and oil refining sector stakeholders arrived in North Dakota to view the domestic ethanol value chain before attending the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council’s (USGBC’s) Global Ethanol Summit (2025).
USGBC Manager of Communications Will Margerum is accompanying the team for readers of Global Update to follow along with the still-in-progress delegation:
Hello and welcome aboard this GES pre-team! Our journey started at 7:30am in Fargo yesterday and despite arriving from South Korea late Tuesday night, the group was energetic and eager to get started and learn more about U.S. biofuels.
Our first stop was at North Dakota Corn Utilization Council (NDCUC) Chairman Carson Klosterman’s farm (pictured above), where participants saw how a U.S. family-run farm operates and asked questions about standard growing practices for the region.
Continuing the journey of U.S. corn after harvest, we visited a nearby shuttle facility to observe the high standards of grain quality testing followed at every point along the value chain. We were lucky enough to see a few trucks pass through during our visit, allowing us to witness weighing and testing procedures and watch how corn is deposited into storage!
Our visit to Guardian Energy’s ethanol plant in Hankinson perfectly wrapped up the group’s education on the process of developing corn into biofuel and how it’s transported for use in other states and internationally. We then headed West to end our day in Bismarck to position ourselves for some exciting meetings in the morning.
For a broader perspective on corn production practices and a detailed tour of planting and harvesting equipment, Direct Ag Supply owner Spence Koenig welcomed us this morning and discussed related topics like crop inputs and other agricultural logistics. Even though the weather limited our opportunities in the field, attendees were extremely engaged in conversation about technology’s role in farming and how U.S. farmers are reducing carbon emissions.
Council member Gevo met with us afterward for detailed conversations about its work in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), particularly in alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) technologies that can significantly reduce countries’ carbon footprints. This was a highlight of the program so far for many of our participants who are excited about the next steps in biofuel integration in the transportation sector.
As you read this, our team is concluding our meetings with Gevo and will shortly be on our way back to Fargo where our day will conclude with a dinner meeting with members of the NDCC.
Tomorrow, we’ll spend the day in the city starting with a morning meeting with Argus to learn about the latest advancements in SAF and a tour of the Northern Crops Institute (NCI), a research and testing facility for crops grown in the region.
Even when the program here ends, the experience is still just beginning for team members as we fly back to Washington, D.C., on Saturday to prepare for GES, equipped with the knowledge and connections made in the value chain in North Dakota.
For more updates on this team and other GES groups, follow the Council on Instagram during the conference and keep an eye out for another post-GES follow-along trade team story.
Learn more about GES 2025 here.