Japanese brewers seek starchy Iowa corn crop

Modern Brewery Age, Jan 6, 2003

Japanese beer-makers have been buying a special Iowa-grown high-starch corn because it contains more starch in every bushel, giving them more starch for the buck, said Dave Christofore, vice president of market development for Harvest States, the grains and foods division of CHS Cooperatives of Davenport; IA.

About 60 farmers in Scott County Iowa grew the high-starch corn this year, said Mike Duncan, operations manager for Harvest States. "We know we have a demand for the high-starch corn in 2003, and we're still four months away from putting the crop in the ground," Duncan said.

Tim Tierney of Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. said the first-test shipment in 2000 got high marks from Japanese corn millers. "They found it did as well as we said it would, and word got around," Tierney said.

When the high-starch corn was delivered to the elevators, each load was tested to make sure it contained no genetically modified characteristics and for its starch content.