Utilize corn derived products driven from ethanol production for horticultural weed control, a natural fertiilzer with enhanced plant growth

Ethanol production is a rapidly growing industry in the United States where corn is the principal feedstock. The dry milling process includes the whole corn kernel for ethanol production, and the co-product is dried distiller grains with solubles, DDGS, primarily used for animal feeds. The dry milling process currently accounts for approximately 75 percent of the domestic ethanol production. The problem is the DDGS contain an estimated 10 percent fatty oils that causes the co product to go rancid if not used in a relatively short time period. The opportunity is to utilize ethanol by products for use in the horticultural industry for weed control, a natural fertilizer with enhanced plant growth, and an improved absorbent natural based cat litter product. Furthermore, the oils extracted may lead to other product streams such as biodiesel products. The new uses for these co-products will develop more value to the corn ethanol industry. Commercial applications will reflect the pre-emergent herbicide, natural fertilizer, gardening, field, lawn, and small seeded annual/perennial herb application methods. Additionally, utilizing the ethanol by products as a cat litter solution is currently being researched. Anticipated results are to utilize the fertilizer product in a natural herbicide, fertilizer, and soil amendment solution for the horticultural industry. Anticipated results for the cat litter product are to sell a safe natural absorbent cat litter product to the cat litter market segments reducing the need for clumping sodium bentonite/silica cat litter.