Farm Progress Show Exposes Ag Community To Latest Innovations, Council’s Work

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) recently had the privilege of hosting a table at the Farm Progress Show in the Illinois Corn and Soybean tent, giving staff and members the chance to educate show-goers on the importance of international commodities trade.

Events like the Farm Progress Show allow the Council to share first-hand the work and experience of the organization to farmers operating in the field daily. The Council is also better able to make event attendees aware of its presence overseas, an aspect of the organization some in the general public may be less aware of.

Since 1953, the Farm Progress Show in Illinois has given the agricultural community the opportunity to gain hands-on experience from demonstrations, meet with agribusiness professionals from around the world and learn more about the latest farm products, including equipment and crop chemicals.

Andrew Brandt, USGC director of trade policy, Ellen Zimmerman, USGC director of industry relations, and USGC board of directors’ leaders, Don Duvall, at-large director, and Jim Raben, past chairman, provided booth visitors with infographics and handouts.

Duvall spoke with a reporter from Brownfield Media, an agricultural trade news outlet, during a live broadcast on the topic of trade and livestock initiatives, touching on the challenges COVID-19 created for the industry and how USGC has managed through them.

“Farmers are considered essential services, so they didn’t stop farming. Neither did the U.S. Grains Council,” Duvall said. “When you look at the numbers, we are on schedule to have record-breaking corn exports for this year, and higher exports for sorghum and barley than the previous year, so obviously COVID had an effect, but not a significant effect for grain demand.”

USGC staff enjoyed interacting face-to-face with show attendees, while also taking time to learn about the innovations in agriculture that were on display at the event.

“Attending the Farm Progress Show allows USGC staff and board members to promote and showcase the Council’s work directly to the farmers we work on behalf of,” Brandt said. “I enjoyed talking to everyone about the work the Council does to open up overseas markets.”

Like Brandt, Zimmerman agrees that being out in the field is a great way to communicate with members about the work of the Council.

“The Farm Progress Show allowed us to do some brand recognition work and talk about the good work we do,” Zimmerman said. “I am very grateful for the opportunity to highlight the work of the Council.”

Watch the full interview with USGC At-Large Board Member Don Duvall.