“We know that the global middle class is growing. We know where the growth in global food demand will be. We also understand that our competitors are just as eager to serve those markets as we are,” said Julius Schaaf, U.S. Grains Council chairman, at the 53rd Annual Board of Delegates Meeting in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

The Council’s theme for the coming year is “Partnerships and Possibilities.” This theme embraces the opportunities U.S. grain farmers enjoy, while acknowledging the work that still needs to be done to convert these opportunities into realities.

“The world is always changing,” Schaaf said. “Markets are always changing. Competition is growing and so are the opportunities. The global market is an ever changing puzzle—all the pieces are there, but it is the job of the Council to help fit them all together. This year’s theme, ‘Partnerships and Possibilities’ reflects our job of adapting to change and seizing new opportunities.”