An American mission composed of maize growers and representatives of associations related to the grain production chain in Ohio, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois, visited Embrapa Environment (Jaguariúna, SP) on December 8. Their goal was to learn about research related to Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of ethanol production from sugarcane and from maize. The researcher Marilia Ieda Folegatti leads an LCA research network at Embrapa that tackles different projects focused on LCA, either on the process of technological development or on the assessment of commodities for exports. LCA provides a scientific analysis of environmental issues related to a given product or process, which is capable of excluding a superficial view of the impact generated by production. Through a set of information, it helps in the decision-making process that allows for making production processes cleaner, and also safeguards Brazilian agricultural products in the foreign market. The participation from Embrapa Environment also included the researcher Celso Manzatto, coordinator of the Low Carbon Agriculture Platform, the researcher Paula Parker, and the researcher André May (Embrapa Maize and Sorghum). As the general head of Embrapa Environment, Marcelo Morandi, explained, understanding and quantifying the economic, social and environmental impacts and benefits of the agricultural chains related to biofuels is an important challenge that Embrapa and partners have been facing. It is in this context that LCA has been used, because it provides a comprehensive view of the process and because it is an internationally recognized tool. Morandi also stressed that the visit of the American delegation and their interest in learning about research on environmental impact assessment carried out by Embrapa was a unique opportunity to underscore the quality and the sustainability of Brazilian agriculture, with special focus on energy crops. The American group also wanted to learn about Brazilian agricultural experiences and know-how related to bioenergy and biofuels and, in particular, about the dimension and dynamics of the Brazilian program of ethanol production from sugarcane and maize, in addition to perspectives in Brazilian agriculture for the agroenergy sector. Composed by Manuel Sanchez, manager of the U.S. Grains Council; Brad Moffitt, Director of Market Development and Membership at Ohio Corn & Wheat; Brian Jones, Chief Operating Officer of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, and Roger Berry, Director of Market Development of the Nebraska Corn Board, as well as seven farmers, the delegation represents the main maize and grain grower associations of the United States. Ethanol as a global commodity Annette Sweeney is a maize grower and a member of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, who pondered that ethanol is a viable, interesting and renewable alternative to fossile fuels and that "our visit aims at understanding the market potential of Brazilian corn and the competitiveness of renewable fuels in Brazil, as well as the scope of the scientific research for the sector," she said. For her, there are incidental differences between the American and Brazilian ethanol sectors, but the challenges are the same. The two countries are the top ethanol consumers and producers in the world, which entails an opportunity to create joint strategies that could improve renewable fuel consumption relations in the world. "For that purpose, it is necessary to foster coordinated action, through the competitive similarity of ethanol in both countries, to strengthen the sector, with the aim of converting ethanol into a global commodity and hence have access to potential markets such as India and China, for instance," she detailed. Annette Sweeney also stated that the American delegation was impressed with the reach of Embrapa's research dedicated to the bioenergy and biofuel sector, in an attempt to find answers that will contribute to guiding the future, not only in agriculture, but in equal opportunities for world energy and environmental issues.