Almost 250 delegates and 130 guests are set to converge on Heredia, Costa Rica, this weekend for the U.S. Grains Council’s (USGC’s) 12th International Marketing Conference and 55th Annual Membership Meeting next week.
The winter annual meeting is an opportunity for members to meet with the Council’s international staff to assess programs and develop marketing strategies for the upcoming year.
In Costa Rica, commodity breakout sessions will involve the entire value-chain in discussions of key issues confronting corn, sorghum, barley and their co-products. The Advisory Teams (A-Teams) will review the Unified Export Strategy (UES) and set priorities for the year ahead.
“The Council entered 2015 on a high note,” said USGC Chairman Ron Gray. “There was a rebound in U.S. exports and market share; a record breaking year for sorghum and distiller’s dried grains with soluble (DDGS) exports to China; resolution of the MIR 162 trade disruption with China; a potential for a breakthrough in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks; a newly opening opportunity in Cuba; and more. We are going to have a full meeting discussing all of these developments and planning for the future.”
Attendees will also take time to learn about agriculture and trade in the host country through agricultural site visits to Costa Rican farms and agribusinesses. And they will take advantage of Costa Rica’s legendary hospitality with a fiesta in the hacienda, spouse and guest tours into town and other opportunities to explore.
One notable change from past Council gatherings is all meeting materials are being transmitted electronically to participants. Meeting attendees will be able to download USGC meeting materials to smartphones, tablets or computers or access them through a mobile app, Guidebook. Meeting attendees will not receive paper copies on site. The Council encourages all participants to access the materials in their preferred formats before leaving home using instructions sent with confirmation emails.
Questions on the paperless procedures and other meeting details can be directed to Council staff at grains@grains.org.
See you in Costa Rica!