One of the people attending the ethanol pump promotion in West Des Moines was Pioneer Hi-Bred Marketing Director for Quality Traits, Russ Sanders. I interviewed Russ as things were heating up (quite literally) at this Kum & Go facility.

Here’s Russ posing next to the #17 Indy Ethanol car which Pioneer is a sponsor of this year.

Russ says that Pioneer is working hard on new corn traits that will be more productive in the ethanol production process while also creating a more nutritious animal feed component from the by-products of the ethanol production process. He says it’s a time for American corn growers to be proud of what they are accomplishing in helping our country become more independent of foreign oil while helping create a cleaner environment.

He also says that Pioneer will have several hundred of their customers here at the race this weekend.

Pioneer has a plant in Toledo, IA which is right near where I’m staying on this trip. I just happened to be driving by it last night on the way back from Des Moines.