USGC Brings International Buyers And Industry Leaders To World Pork Expo

Last week, U.S. Grains Council (USGC) staff brought teams of international pork association leaders to Des Moines, IA for the World Pork Expo, the world’s largest pork industry trade show, to familiarize them with U.S. producers and build a foundation for future feed grain sales.

“This event covers all aspects of pork production, from growing and sourcing high-quality feed to the equipment needed to run an effective operation,” said Carlos Maya, USGC regional consultant for Latin America (LTA). “The educational seminars, networking possibilities and market and technology updates greatly benefitted attendees, and their businesses in LTA will be enhanced by these new connections and knowledge of the benefits of U.S.-produced animal feed.”

Maya led a group of representatives from the Colombian, Costa Rican, Guatemalan, Nicaraguan and Peruvian pork producers’ associations to visit U.S. corn farms and learn about the latest technologies in the pork industry at the expo.

Also in attendance was a delegation of Vietnamese pork industry association members and private sector staff headed by USGC Manager of Global Programs Caleb Floss and USGC Vietnam Representative Tran Trong Nghia.

While at the venue, the teams met with the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Pork Producers’ Association to speak about the financial aspect of raising livestock and the sustainable production efforts of the U.S. industry. As an extension of the expo’s opportunities, the groups met with U.S. producer associations and toured local farms and ethanol plants to see how animal feed is made from start to finish.

That process began with a tour of Iowa Corn Growers’ Association Chairman Dennis Friest’s farm in Radcliffe, IA to see how typical U.S. corn growers operate and what equipment they use.

Next, participants visited POET’s ethanol facility in Jewell, IA to learn how the company, the largest biofuels producer in the world, creates co-products like corn-fermented protein (CFP) and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) that offer significant nutritional benefits to animal feed diets.

To round out the production cycle, the group toured Iowa State University’s Kent Corporation Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex to observe its feed milling and mixing techniques and its grain drying, handling and storage equipment.

“Demand for protein sources like pork is increasing in Vietnam, and our participants were extremely eager to learn from U.S. industry experts on how nutritious dietary enhancements like CFP and DDGS can expand their production capacity,” Nghia said.

Read more about the Council’s work in corn and corn co-products here.