PEORIA, ILLINOIS, U.S. — Corn millers, seed producers, manufacturers, and engineers gathered on May 19 at the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR) in Peoria, Illinois, U.S., for the 52nd Annual Corn Dry Milling Conference, co-sponsored by the North American Millers' Association (NAMA) and NCAUR. Scientists, technologists and industry executives presented the latest research and technology in the area of corn production for food purposes and the latest advances in corn hybrid development.

NAMA President Mary Waters said, "Research is key to millers’ continued access to quality grain and to optimizing mill operations. As advocates of public/private research partnerships, we are proud to say we have been partnering with NCAUR to sponsor this research conference since 1959."

NAMA Corn Dry Milling Conference Committee Chair Robert Harper, Hopkinsville Milling Company said, "I value the long cooperation between the Center and the Millers’ organization. We continue to present a variety of talks of interest to those involved in corn dry milling."

Presentations included:

  • Sustainability from a Retail Perspective, Michael Smith, director, Real Estate & Sustainability Hy-Vee, Inc.

  • World Corn Supply and Demand, Edward Allen, agricultural economist, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

  • Twin Row Studies: Impact on Grain Quality, Chuck Hill, specialty products manager, AgriGold Hybrids.

  • Un-corny Corn Bran – Development of High Fiber, Low-Calorie, and Low Carbohydrate Baked Foods, Sean Liu, Ph.D., research leader, Functional Foods Research Unit, NCAUR, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), USDA.

  • Corn Ephemera, Cynthia Rubin, Ph.D., visual culture specialist.

  • Diplodia, Donald Wicklow, microbiologist and Bruce Dien, chemical engineer, NCAUR, ARS, USDA.

  • Predictive Modeling, Patrick Dowd, entomologist, NCAUR, ARS, USDA.

  • 3272 Regulatory Process & NAMA Response, Mary Waters, president, North American Millers’ Association.

  • Unified Audits, Maureen Olewniak, Ph.D., vice-president, Audit and Technical Services, American Institute of Baking International, Inc.

  • Future of Output Traits, Steve Petersen, end-use market manager, Monsanto.

  • Transgenic Trait Stacking Realities & Future, James Bing, trait development leader, Dow AgroSciences, LLC.