Nearly 230 U.S. Grains Council (USGC) delegates and members representing 87 organizations and from 25 states are departing Sarasota, Florida, the site of the Council’s 13th International Marketing Conference and 56th Annual Membership Meeting held this week.

The sessions followed this year’s theme of Excellence in Exports while focusing on new developments and challenges emerging in the global grain trade.

A significant amount of time at the Sarasota conference was spent in meetings of the USGC Advisory Teams (A-Teams) and commodity-specific stakeholders. These groups discussed global strategies and compared notes about market conditions and priorities from their perspectives on the industry. Members also provided input into the Council’s planning process to enhance its strategic cohesiveness.

Service awards to dedicated volunteers and staff were also presented at the meeting. The balance of this newsletter includes tributes to the award recipients.

The regular edition of Global Update will return next week!