The Sedgwick County Farm Bureau Agricultural Association held its annual Legislator Ag Tour at ELEMENT, LLC an ethanol plant owned by ICM, Inc. and the Andersons, Inc. in Colwich, Kansas.
County and state legislators and staff members listened to experts discuss the process of turning corn into ethanol and animal feed. Attendees observed the latest technology used at ELEMENT, which is the most advanced ethanol plant in the world, featuring ICM’s technologies.
Corn is grown in surrounding fields, processed into renewable fuels at the plant and sold to consumers right down the road at Jump Start Stores, Inc. The entire start-to-finish process happens within a half-mile radius, contributing to a thriving community.
“The ethanol plant is an important part of the local economy,” said Mick Rausch, Sedgwick County Farm Bureau Public Policy Chairman. “It not only produces a fuel source but also generates a demand for corn, creates high protein feed-products for livestock and stimulates the local job market.”
The Legislator Ag Tour provided an opportunity for local agriculture leaders and legislators to learn about agriculture’s importance in Colwich and understand the role local agriculture has on the world. Since 1995, ICM has been providing innovative technologies, solutions and services to further the sustainability of agriculture and renewable energy. The company has contributed to the production of 8.8 billion gallons of ethanol and 25 million tons of distiller grains worldwide.