FORM 8-K

                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C. 20549



Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) July 25, 1997.



                                HIGH PLAINS CORPORATION

                 (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                                   
Kansas                                                                 #1-8680
(State or other jurisdiction of                               (Commission File
incorporation)                                                         Number)



200 W. Douglas                                                     #48-0901658
Suite #820                                                       (IRS Employer
Wichita, Kansas 67202                                      Identification No.)
(Address of prinicipal
exeuctive offices)


                                    (316)269-4310
                            (Registrant's telephone number)





Item 5        Other Information


Wichita, KS, July 25, 1997- High Plains Corporation (NASDAQ:HIPC) today 
announced that material improvements have been made to the quality of their 
industrial grade ethanol product, manufactured at their York, Nebraska 
facility.The Company reported that the quality had been sufficiently 
improved to begin producing at the full productive capacity rate of that 
distillation equipment, which is approximately 30,000 gallons per day 
(gpd).The Company has contracted for and has begun shipping to fill initial 
orders for this product totaling over one million gallons to several 
customers, at prices that are significantly higher than fuel grade prices.


High Plains' President, Raymond Friend commented, "We are very pleased to 
have attained this product quality, allowing us to begin full production of 
this distillation unit.The margins that we are receiving on sales of 
industrial grade ethanol should have a very positive effect on our bottom 
line."

John Murtagh, the process and distillation expert that the Company has 
contracted with to improve product quality, said, "High Plains has 
implemented the majority of the process changes that were recommended, and 
as a result, we have seen a material improvement in product quality.As 
remaining process changes are accomplished, High Plains should be able to 
further improve their product to a quality suitable for any hydrous ethanol 
applications."

The approximate 70,000 gpd production remaining at the York plant and the 
approximate 50,000 gpd at the Colwich, Kansas plant are being sold as fuel 
grade ethanol.

The Company's Chairman, Dan Skolness said, "The Company expects to benefit 
from even lower corn prices in the future as a result of the large corn 
harvest that is anticipated."The Company is currently purchasing milo at the 
Company's plants for $2.31 per bushel and has contracted for milo as low as 
$2.14 during the fourth calendar quarter.



At this time, the House/Senate Conference Committee is meeting to resolve 
their differences in the Federal Budget plan.The House version currently 
provides for the ethanol blender's excise tax credit to be left unchanged 
and allowed to expire on 09/30/2000.The Senate version provides for small 
reductions to the ethanol blender's excise tax credit after year 2000, but 
extends the reduced tax credit to 09/30/2007.The Republican leaders have met 
and have passed the issue on to be negotiated by House and Senate 
Republicans and Democrats and by the Clinton Administration.We think this is 
a positive development.







Mr. Friend stated, "The Clinton Administration favors the Senate version, 
but with no reductions of credit amount.We are in favor of the President's 
version.We believe that we have an excellent opportunity for extension of 
this incentive that allows us to be competitive with subsidized gasoline.We 
urge our shareholders or anyone interested in continuing the many economic 
and environmental benefits that ethanol provides our country to contact 
Representative Trent Lott (R-Mississippi) 202-224-6253 (fax 202-224-2262), 
Senator Tom Daschle (D-South Dakota) 202-224-2321 (fax 202-224-2047), and 
The White House 202-456-1414 (fax 202-456-7044) asking and thanking them for 
their support of President Clinton's position on the extension of the 
ethanol incentive."

The Company indicated that earnings for the fourth quarter and for the year 
would be released in mid-August and that a conference call is planned 
subsequent to that release.

Based in Wichita, Kansas, High Plains Corporation is the only publicly 
traded company whose sole business is Ethanol.It is one of the largest 
producers of Ethanol with approximately 60 million gallons per year of 
current capacity.Clean burning Ethanol reduces pollutants in automotive 
gasoline and increases octane levels for better engine performance without 
increasing gas pump prices.

"THE SAFE HARBOR" STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM 
ACT OF 1995.This press release contains forward-looking statements that 
involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to risks detailed 
from time to time in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission 
filings.






                                   SIGNATURES


Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the 
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the 
undersigned thereunto duly authorized:



Date July 25, 1997                                 HIGH PLAINS CORPORATION

                                                   Raymond G. Friend
                                                   President