The Corn Refiners Association (C.R.A.) and representatives of food, beverage, ingredient, and agricultural industries recently gathered at the Library of Congress to celebrate the history and accomplishments of the corn wet milling industry over the last century as part of the 100-year anniversary of the trade association.
“This is an opportunity to thank our customers and suppliers for their support over the last century,” said Matthew Wineinger, chairman of the C.R.A. and president of Tate & Lyle Bulk Ingredients. “Our partnership has enabled us to provide the products and ingredients that are essential for so many manufactured goods. We look forward to the next 100 years of partnership and innovation.”
The C.R.A. was founded in 1913 as the American Manufacturers Association of Products from Corn. Over the years the organization’s members have taken on issues such as trade, food safety and biotechnology, and have defended their products against misinformation. In recent years, the C.R.A. has worked to increase exports to Mexico and has been a supporter of free trade agreements with Panama, Colombia, and South Korea, and undertaken an educational campaign on high-fructose corn syrup.
Members of Congress in attendance at the celebratory event on March 12 included Representatives Rodney Davis of Illinois and Adrian Smith of Nebraska, who served as the keynote speaker for the event. In his remarks Mr. Smith said, “I like the can do, the let’s get it done approach that agriculture so often has, of not only feeding America, but helping feed the world.”
The corn wet milling industry has 23 plants in 11 states, where they employ more than 8,000 people and refine more than 1.8 billion bus of corn annually. The C.R.A.’s members are Archer Daniels Midland Co., Cargill, Ingredion, Inc., Penford Products, Roquette America and Tate & Lyle Americas.
