{"id":1872,"date":"2012-04-25T17:58:25","date_gmt":"2012-04-25T17:58:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grains.org\/ltamex\/2012-i-cal-students-get-once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity-in-southeast-asia\/"},"modified":"2012-04-25T17:58:25","modified_gmt":"2012-04-25T17:58:25","slug":"2012-i-cal-students-get-once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity-in-southeast-asia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grains.org\/ltamex\/2012-i-cal-students-get-once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity-in-southeast-asia\/","title":{"rendered":"2012 I-CAL Students Get Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity in Southeast Asia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Twelve U.S. college students will get a firsthand look at Southeast Asia’s dynamic economy during the 2012 International Collegiate Agricultural Leadership (I-CAL) Program, sponsored by The Grains Foundation<\/a> and FFA Organization. May 19-June 1, students will travel throughout Southeast Asia on a mission to gain exposure to international agriculture and trade.<\/p>\n

“Trade expansion is a long-term driver of U.S. agricultural growth. With the age of increasing global consumerism at our door, the youth of today will soon be responsible for developing and maintaining the adaption of global policies that advance consistent, fair, rules-based systems for trade,” said Foundation Chairman Terry Vinduska. “The I-CAL program is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these students to gain the global perspective at such an early stage in their careers.” <\/p>\n

The schedule includes tours of livestock, poultry and aquaculture farms, a feed mill, a palm oil plantation, and bulk and container port facilities in Vietnam and Malaysia. Meetings are also scheduled with importers of corn and distiller’s dried grains and with a multinational grain trading company and an ag news department during a final stop in Singapore.<\/p>\n

“As with previous classes, we want them to experience the unique cultures of this region and be exposed to the great potential here for demand growth and for U.S. market share,” said Adel Yusupov, U.S. Grains Council regional director, who will escort the group.<\/p>\n

This year’s I-CAL class members represent nine major universities:<\/p>\n