Prescher, Winslow, Buss Recognized For Five Years Of Service

Global engagement and trade education were the shared goals and highlights for three U.S. Grains Council (USGC) delegates who were recognized for their five years of service at the Council’s 19th International Marketing Conference and 62nd Annual Membership Meeting in February.

Gary Prescher, Scott Winslow and Larry Buss were presented with commemorative plaques for their contributions to the Council’s mission of expanding the global market for American agricultural exports.

Prescher is a director of the Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council (MCRPC), and his family has been producing corn and soybeans for four generations. Prescher initially became interested in the Council because of how important agricultural global trade is for farmers in Minnesota.

“In trying to relay what I know about the Council to other growers, I tell people that it’s boots on the ground around the world to represent us as producers and to help facilitate and create trade for our grains,” Prescher said. “As an individual corn grower, we can’t do that. So, we need experts to do that for us overseas and that takes place in a variety of ways, whether you’re trying to open up a new market or solving issues with importers or work through some of these tariffs, the Council works in a variety of ways to help us.”

Prescher has worked on both the Biotechnology and Asia Advisory Teams (A-Teams) during his time with the Council and takes pride in being a voice for Minnesota’s agriculture community on a global scale.

“I am just honored to be part of the organization and I really appreciate the opportunities that happen on our behalf because of the Council’s work,” Prescher said.

“The biggest benefit is meeting people that come to our country from across the oceans, the learning opportunities we have through experiential travel and better understanding different cultures.”

A fellow Minnesotan and a member of the MCRPC, Winslow also emphasized the value in the Council’s travel and networking opportunities for American farmers.

Winslow and his ancestors have been growing corn and soybeans at Twin Oak Acres since 1854, and farming is very much a family affair for him. Winslow is teaching his son, Colin, the tools of the trade while his daughter, Katie, works in agriculture with the University of Minnesota.

Winslow has been a delegate to the Trade Policy A-Team for the past five years and noted that when he meets new people, he makes sure to spread the word about how delegates’ contributions to the Council help benefit farmers across the country.

“We explain to them that we’re all working together to promote trade around the world and selling what we grow here, getting our corn shipped, producing ethanol, getting foreign countries to purchase our ethanol and what it does for their air quality,” Winslow said. “We tell them what has been done over the years to get more of our product to other countries.”

The networking and learning opportunities the Council provides for its delegates has been a standout benefit for him, noting a Corn Quality Report rollout trip to Japan as a particular highlight.

“It was amazing how everything looked over there,” Winslow said. “It was a great experience for me. We’ve had other members go to places and talk about what they had seen but having the chance to talk to people face-to-face and look at their business really makes a difference.”

Making those types of in-person connections also ranks as a highly valuable perk for Iowa’s Larry Buss.

Buss is the vice president of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and has been lending his skills and expertise to the Council’s Middle East, Africa and South Asia A-Team over the past five years.

Buss noted that the opportunities USGC offers for its delegates to get involved in international trade and making new connections in the industry has undoubtedly been a high point for him.

“When we think of markets for our products, we also think about the global markets, and of course that’s where the Council is, front and center, to promote our goods and get those into other markets,” Buss said. “As we all know, there’s a good amount of competition globally. Somebody’s got to be out there representing us – the corn farmers in Iowa. Somebody’s got to be out there on the front lines working these issues for us and that’s USGC.”

The Council thanks Gary, Scott and Larry for their contributions thus far and looks forward to their continued involvement both domestically and internationally!