Picture Caption (from left to right): Gary Anderson, CEO of Heartland Corn Products, Sen. Aric Putnam (Disctrict 14), Sen. Rob Kupec (District 4), Brian Werner, executive director at MN Bio-Fuels and Jennifer Roepke, lab manager at Heartland Corn Products. 

Minneapolis, Feb 6 - Minnesota State Senators Aric Putnam (District 14) and Rob Kupec (District 4) visited Heartland Corn Products in Winthrop on Feb 3 to learn more about Minnesota’s ethanol industry. 

“MN Bio-Fuels sincerely appreciated the opportunity to host Senators Aric Putnam and Rob Kupec at Heartland Corn Products and show them firsthand how Minnesota’s ethanol industry is positively contributing to our economy and our environment. The best way to learn about the important role that biofuels play in rural communities is to see the facilities up-close and visit with the workers and farmers that make it all possible. We thank the Senators for making the trip and for their commitment as leaders on the Senate Agriculture Committee to partner with us on policy that drives further reductions in air emissions and prices at the pump through low-carbon, low-cost ethanol production,” said Brian Werner, executive director at MN Bio-Fuels.

During their visit, the senators were given a tour of Heartland Corn Products to better understand the ethanol production process. 

They were briefed on the impact the ethanol industry has on Minnesota’s economy, the number of jobs it supports and its role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the state.

Additionally, they learned about co-products from the ethanol production process such as dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) - a high protein animal feed - and corn oil, which is used to produce biodiesel and renewable diesel. Also present during the visit were representatives from the Minnesota Corn Growers Association. 

“Recently I was able to visit Heartland Corn Products in Winthrop. It’s a fascinating place where good people are helping agriculture help the rest of us make the planet a little cleaner. They create ethanol, good jobs, and feed for livestock, all at the same time. Corn is a beautiful thing. It can do so much when combined with creativity and industry. And butter,” Putnam said.

Putnam and Kupec are chair and vice-chair respectively on the Minnesota Senate’s Agriculture, Broadband and Rural Development committee.

“I had a great tour of the Heartland Corn Products ethanol plant in Winthrop, Minnesota. It was interesting to see how the process worked, the impact on the local economy and the future of ethanol as part of a cleaner energy future,” Kupec said. 

Picture caption (from left to right): Putnam, Werner and Kupec during the plant tour.