USDA: Corn use for fuel ethanol production expands to 534 million bushels in December
USDA data shows U.S. corn use for ethanol rose to 488 million bushels in December 2025, up 5% month-on-month and 2% year-on-year. Higher processing also lifted output of key co-products, including DDGS, corn oil, and captured CO₂, reflecting steady biofuel demand and strong utilization across dry and wet milling operations.
The USDA recently released its Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production Report for February, reporting that corn use for fuel ethanol production in December 2025 was up when compared to the previous month and December of the previous year.
Total corn consumed for alcohol and other uses was 534 million bushels in December, up 5% when compared to the previous month and up 1% when compared to December 2024.
Corn consumed for fuel alcohol production reached 488 million bushels in December, up 5% when compared to November and up 2% when compared to December of the previous year. Corn summed for dry milling and wet milling fuel production was 92% and 8%, respectively.
At dry mills, condensed distillers solubles production was at 111,528 tons in December, up from 110,140 tons in November, but down from 120,144 tons in December 2024. Corn oil production expanded to 206,914 tons, up from both 205,952 tons the previous month and 203,643 tons in December 2024. Distillers dried grains production reached 399,281 tons, up from 384,904 tons in November and 376,226 tons in December 2024. Distillers dried grains with solubles production reached 1.95 million tons, up from 1.75 million tons the previous month and 1.88 million tons in December of the previous year. Distillers wet grains production grew to 1.32 million tons, up from 1.26 million tons in November and 1.29 million tons in December 2024. Modified distillers wet grains production expanded to 579,454 tons, up from 496,923 tons in November and 481,524 tons in December of the prior year.
At wet mills, corn germ meal production fell to 57,531 tons in December, down from 58,737 tons in November and 62,069 tons in December 2024. Corn gluten feed production expanded to 265,310 tons, up from 251,463 tons the previous month and 256,980 tons in December of the previous year. Corn gluten meal production was at 101,814 tons, up slightly from 101,753 tons the previous month, but down from 103,485 tons in December of the prior year. Wet corn gluten feed production was at 188,185 tons, up from 186,284 tons in November, but down from 201,311 tons in December of the previous year.
At dry and wet mills, carbon dioxide captured reached 238,670 tons in December, up from 226,918 tons in November and 238,231 tons in December 2024.
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Source : Ethanol Producer Magazine
