U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. grains experts were laser focused on the outlook for U.S. corn and its co-products – highlighting the importance of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) – at Export Exchange 2018 in Minneapolis on Tuesday.
After welcome remarks by U.S. Grains Council (USGC) Chairman Jim Stitzlein and USDA Associate Administrator for the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Daniel Whitley, attendees heard from keynote speaker Roger Watchorn, group leader at Cargill Agriculture Supply Chain North America.
“North America continues to be a leader in production technologies and a major player in global trade,” Watchorn said. “One in seven people worldwide depend on global trade for their basic food needs. We connect farmers with those who need our products around the world. North America is unrivaled in optionality and supply chain efficiencies and we are ready to meet those needs.”
To round out the morning, USDA Chief Economist Dr. Robert Johansson shared with attendees the USDA’s 10-year outlook on feed grains’ production, supply and distribution.
The afternoon was devoted to one feed grain co-product in particular – DDGS – with speakers including Tyson Foods Poultry Nutritionist Philip Smith, ProExporter Senior Analyst Bill Holbrook, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) Regulatory Affairs Vice President Kelly Davis and Distillers Grains Technology Council’s Executive Director Kurt Rosentrater. Collectively, they covered poultry nutrition, export challenges and opportunities, food safety regulations and new products including pelleting, high protein versions and advancing technologies.
“The U.S. DDGS market is once again on the rise in various parts of the world,” said Tom Sleight, USGC president and chief executive officer. “Not only are we seeing increases of DDGS purchases in the Western Hemisphere – in Mexico and Canada – but we are also seeing increases in countries like Indonesia, Vietnam and India. Highlighting the importance and versatility of U.S. DDGS at Export Exchange only makes sense.”
Learn more about the Council’s work on DDGS here.
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.