Ahead of this year’s Export Exchange event, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) welcomed 11 trade teams to the United States, consisting of agricultural product importers, government officials and agribusiness leaders from more than 50 countries. The group had the opportunity to visit farm operations and export facilities as well as conduct meetings with partners along the value chain.
The trade teams represented a diverse group of industry leaders who contribute annually to strong U.S. export numbers in commodities including corn, distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and sorghum.
The following teams spent time in various states across the U.S. before traveling to Minneapolis, for the main event that was Export Exchange:
- Korean DDGS team to Washington, Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois
- South Asian export logistics team to Louisiana
- Middle Eastern, European and African (MEA) corn and DDGS team to Wisconsin and Illinois
- MEA DDGS team to Louisiana and Minnesota
- MEA bulk logistics team to Missouri and Louisiana
- MEA sorghum team to Kansas
- Southeast Asian (SEA) DDGS team to Kentucky
- SEA corn team to South Dakota
- Latin American (LTA) feed grain team to Kansas
- LTA team to Arkansas
- Mexican DDGS team to Iowa
Grain and DDGS importers from Mexico spent time in Iowa ahead of Export Exchange, seeing firsthand U.S. corn production areas, ethanol plants and learning about DDGS production and new technology entering the market. While there, the group met with Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig
A group of feed grain importers and end-users from the Middle East and Africa region visited DeLong in Juliet, IL, to learn more about DDGS container logistics.
Participants from Latin America spent time in Arkansas ahead of Export Exchange, focusing on innovation-oriented tours and education. Pictured here, the group visited Tyson’s Discovery Center in Springdale, where they discussed innovation processes and toured the facility. The group met John Tyson (center back row), Tyson Foods’ chairman, while there.
Feed grain importers from Kenya and Spain are pictured here with Kent Winters, a sorghum producer in Andale, Kansas. The group’s goal was to increase its awareness of U.S. corn, co-product and sorghum production, origination and transportation through U.S. export channels.
A group of feed grain and DDGS buyers from South Korea spent time in Washington, Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois before Export Exchange. Pictured, the group visited the Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) ethanol plant in Council Bluff, IA, to learn more about the operation.
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.