While it seems that 2023 just started, looking at the calendar does indeed show that we have just 10 weeks left in the year. With another year soon coming to a close, I thought an update on the exciting work the DIS Team has been engaged in would be appropriate. As in previous business updates, we continue to be grateful for such a dedicated, hard-working team of professionals here at DIS.

Economic Impact Studies

Estimating the impact of a change in an economy (an economic impact study) and the current contribution of a business, industry or set of industries (an economic contribution study) to the local economy has long been a significant portion of our work. A few examples of recently completed or upcoming projects include:

  • Estimating the economic impact of two types of grocery stores in Nebraska: a “traditional” independently-owned grocery store and a “cooperative food market”.
  • Estimating the economic impact of a new soybean processor in Iowa.
  • Estimating the economic contribution of agriculture and related industries in Iowa and Nebraska. This will be our fourth time completing the forthcoming study in Iowa and our first time completing such a study for Nebraska. Many examples of this type of work are summarized on our website here.
  • Estimating the return on investment for contributing funds to a membership organization.
  • Estimating the economic impact of a large private college in Iowa on its local community.

Livestock and Poultry Rations

Across the Midwest, the incentive to expand soybean crush continues. The primary driver for expanding soybean crush capacity is from policies incentivizing the use of soybean oil in advanced biofuels such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). With an expanded crush for soybean oil also comes expanded supplies of soybean meal, a very attractive ingredient in most livestock and poultry rations. Similar to earlier in 2023, the DIS Team has completed, or is in the midst of, the following work:

  • Analyzing how rural areas in Kansas could capitalize on the expansion of soybean production and processing.
  • Summarizing ingredient consumption results from our “ration cost optimization” (RCO) process for several new clients in ways needed to better understand volumes consumed by species by stage of life (if applicable) by geography.
  • Adaptation of our RCO methodology to four countries outside of the United States.
  • How the inclusion of animal-based protein meals (based on essential amino acid profiles) affects the carbon intensity scores of these feed ingredients relative to plant based protein meals.

Renewable Fuels Policy

The Inflation Reduction Act and its associated proposed/expected policy continues to contribute to many discussions related to the production of low and ultralow/zero carbon fuels in the United States. In addition to a large study released in spring 2023 for the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (found here), a few additional examples include:

  • An exciting new project to better understand the situation, particularly in the midwestern United States, that may exist in 2050 for feedstocks used in SAF. Technologies studied will include:  
    • HEFA (Hydro-processed Esters and Fatty Acids) 
    • Ethanol to Jet (ETJ) 
    • Power-to-Fuel (PTF) – from CO2 and Renewable Energy 
    • Fischer-Tropsch (FT)  
  • Studying the conditions surrounding the production and distribution of green ammonia. 

The above examples are just a few of the exciting projects and engagements we’ve been privileged to start in during 2023. With as much variety as we have in our work and the talent contributed by each member of the Team, the rest of 2023 into 2024 looks to be exciting. We are eager to continue interacting with current and past clients and are excited to venture into new territory with completely new clients in the coming months.  

With warmest regards, 

Spence Parkinson