Since its founding 60 years ago, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) has conducted in-person events to bring grain and ethanol buyers and end-users from around the world to meet directly with U.S. farmers and agribusiness representatives. The COVID-19 pandemic presented a unique challenge that threatened to slow down these activities. With the aid of technology, the Council’s global staff worked creatively to illustrate that trade continues despite the pandemic and to serve customers experiencing new needs and concerns within their own businesses. 

A mix of prepared videos and real-time virtual discussions became staples in place of many in-person events, including the 2020 Virtual Grain Exchange, the Virtual Ethanol Buyers Conference, WASDE report webinars, rollout events for corn harvest and export cargo quality reports, and more. 

While attending the Virtual Grain Exchange, participants had opportunities to meet with U.S. corn, sorghum, barley and co-product suppliers to directly do business and make connections that will facilitate future sales. There were 1,200 registrants for that event, including international buyers and end-users of coarse grains and co-products from 54 countries and members of the U.S. grain export value chain. 

During the Virtual Ethanol Buyer’s Conference, the Council’s staff and members were able to illustrate that ethanol trade was continuing despite the pandemic, to expand awareness globally about ethanol, and develop industry relationships. A primary component of the conference was one-to-one business meetings with both buyers and sellers, initiated through an online platform. These meetings established new and enhanced contacts within the sector to facilitate global trade. 

Council staff also embarked on a series of webinars to provide context to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) reports. This direct and targeted engagement has helped global grain buyers and end-users better understand the supply and demand factors at play in a very dynamic market – and built trust and deepened relationships with key customers. 

While the first of an annual series of crop quality seminars was offered in-person in January 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic reached global proportions, the next round of meetings and the 2021 series were moved online. Virtual rollouts have since included a multi-country event for North Asian customers and a virtual meeting conducted in Southeast Asia boasting more than 130 online attendees, who received a state crop update from USGC Secretary-Treasurer and Indiana corn farmer Joshua Miller. On-the-ground reports like Miller’s are valuable to customers making 2021 buying decisions since traditional in-person U.S. crop tours were not possible in 2020.

A plethora of regional virtual activities were also launched around the globe, including poultry production training programs with the Moroccan Poultry Association in the summer and fall of 2020, held for 70 poultry professionals from four African countries. 

U.S. farmers and agribusinesses have proven time and time again agriculture is resilient despite myriad challenges. The Council has been proud to be a leader in this pivot by adapting programs and outreach throughout the COVID challenges.