More than 200 international buyers and end-users of coarse grains and co-products from upwards of 35 countries traveled to Minneapolis this week for Export Exchange 2018, ready to meet with U.S. suppliers and service providers across the value chain.
Export Exchange is a biennial educational and trade forum for U.S. feed grains that hosted attendees from both the United States and various countries organized into 21 U.S. Grains Council (USGC) trade teams. Attendees met with U.S. suppliers and had the chance to learn about current supply and demand for U.S. feed products.
“At a time when the United States is looking to create new trade agreements, highlighting the importance of international trade can be no better illustrated than by Export Exchange and the trade team visits before and after the event,” said USGC Chairman Jim Stitzlein.
Co-sponsored by the USGC, Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), Export Exchange 2018 offered attendees an unparalleled opportunity to meet and build relationships with domestic suppliers of corn, distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), sorghum, barley and other commodities.
In addition to networking opportunities, attendees were briefed on the global supply and demand situation, transportation issues and challenges, the global grains outlook, new advances in DDGS and poultry, food safety regulations, agribusiness, the current U.S. policy environment and more. Export Exchange also highlighted the importance of strong trade policy and market development to U.S. agriculture.
Throughout the meeting, international attendees also met with U.S. sellers via an exhibit hall experience offering information and in private meetings meant to allow business to be done on site.
This work is a critical piece of market development programs operated by the Council in more than 50 global markets, with funding from member organizations in addition to the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) program in the U.S. farm bill.
Learn more about Export Exchange 2018 on social media, using the hashtag #ExEx18.
About The U.S. Grains Council
The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability. Detailed information about the Council and its programs is online at www.grains.org.