As of today, Feb. 6, delegate attendance at the 11th International Marketing Conference and 54nd Annual Membership Meeting stands at an all–time record of 247, surpassing the mark set in Panama in February 2012.

“After the 2012 drought and a depressed 2012-2013 marketing year, exports are bouncing back strong,” said U.S. Grains Council President and CEO Tom Sleight. “There are always challenges, but with a record crop in 2013, U.S. corn is competitive around the world, and sales reflect that. New opportunities are opening up, and the excitement is clearly carrying over to the winter meeting.”

The winter annual meeting is built around the Council’s Advisory Teams, which meet to review the Council’s strategies and priorities for the year ahead. Held this year in Long Beach, Calif., the meeting will include a look at America’s second busiest port, accounting 5,000 vessel calls, more than 6 million TEU’s (20-foot equivalent units), and nearly 20 percent of all the containers moving through all U.S. ports combined.

“We’re going to have a great meeting,” Sleight said. “The export figures are moving back our way, markets are moving, and the United States is competitive. The attendance reflects the intensity. We’ll see you in Long Beach!”