What are the goals of the U.S. Grains Council in 2010?

The immediate goals for the Council basically fall into three main areas:
1. To focus on member relations;
2. To begin a strategic planning process; and
3. As always, to deliver value to U.S. farm checkoff and other member investments in the Council by developing global demand for corn, sorghum, barley and their co-products.

How does the Council plan to achieve those goals?
Member relations and strategic planning are the priority activities the Board of Directors have directed Thomas Dorr, president and CEO, and Keith Heffernan, vice president of operations and industry relations, to address. Tom and Keith are deeply rooted in production agriculture. They are seasoned leaders and managers and we have high expectations of them.

Why is market development important for U.S. farmers, rural America and people around the globe?
U.S. farmers produce record crops almost as the rule rather than the exception. Various parts of the world, for example the Black Sea region, have the potential to increase production dramatically in the not too distant future. Market development both domestically and globally is the key to a healthy and prosperous agriculture sector.

Exports from the United States to countries outside Western Europe and the former USSR have grown dramatically over the last 30+ years. During that time, coarse grain shipments to that part of the world from the United States have grown from about 15 million metric tons to over 60 million tons. Even so, with continued global population and income growth those numbers must increase. Addressing the capacity, trade barriers and other obstacles to that growth is a critical element in providing food and fiber to an increasingly demanding world.

How will the meeting in February help set the direction for the future of Council programs?
As you know, the 7th International Marketing Conference and 50th Annual Membership Meeting is a very important meeting for the Council as it is where the Unified Export Strategy, or UES, is created. The UES serves as the Council’s marketing plan blueprint and is submitted to USDA to secure the Council’s federal matching funds. This meeting is critical because it allows our members to play a direct role in helping create the UES. Through participation in the Advisory Team meetings and the general sessions, attendees will help shape the direction of the Council in the coming years.