WASHINGTON, D.C., November 29, 2011 — The U.S. Grains Council announced that registration is now open for its 9th International Marketing Conference and 52nd Annual Membership Meeting to be held Feb. 13-15 in Panama City, Panama.

Registration and additional details are available at www.grains.org by clicking on the Panama City meeting link at the bottom of the home page.

Online registration is available through February 3, and please note that a valid passport is required for entry into Panama. Reservations for the Hotel Rui Plaza Panama, the conference hotel, can also be made online by downloading and completing the reservation form found under hotel information.

“World trade brings significant value to the current and future profitability of U.S. farmers, agriculture and the nation as a whole,� said Wendell Shauman, Chairman of the U.S. Grains Council. “What better place to review and discuss the dynamics of trade and chart a course for the Council than at the literal crossroads of world trade, the Panama Canal.�

The Council’s theme for the meeting and year is “Your Highway to the World: New Capacities, New Markets.� In Panama City in February, Council members and conference attendees will examine these elements by focusing on the Council’s strategic direction for upcoming years through the Council Advisory Teams.

“We’ll also get an insider’s look at the changing flow of world trade that will come with the renovation and expansion of the Panama Canal,� Shauman said. Attendees will appreciate an up-close look at the canal and construction progress, as well as plans for the future presented by representatives from the Panama Canal Authority.

In addition to registration and hotel information, the full agenda and details on optional tours are available on the meeting page at www.grains.org.