It may be the start of the season, but right now is also a good time to consider the end of the season — specifically, where this year’s crop will end up.

For growers expecting their corn to go toward ethanol production, not uncommon in a state that produces more ethanol than any other, consider that demand for ethanol is only expected to grow.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nearly 40 percent of the nation’s corn grown in 2015 was slated for ethanol production, and with developments like the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent blending mandate increase, that number should go up.

With that in mind, it’s those growers who can make themselves stand out in the corn-for-ethanol market who stand to maximize ...