BOGOTA, COLOMBIA, June 1, 2012 – A U.S. Grains Council trade team celebrates the U.S., Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in Colombia this week. Along with the American Soybean Association-International Marketing and USDA’s Agricultural Trade Office in Bogota, the Council hosted more than 100 Colombian importers, end-users, feed manufactures and policy decision makers at an evening networking reception and celebration. The agreement went into effect May 15, granting U.S. exporters immediate duty-free treatment on feed grains and feed grain co-products.

The Council’s trade team included members from four major grain producing states; North Dakota, Texas, Iowa, and Indiana.

“We are here this evening as representatives of the farmers from our industry to let you know that we care about the Colombian marketplace. We want to be not only your regular suppliers of feed grains, but we want to be partners in trade with you. We want to be partners in proving food security to Colombia and partners in your economic growth and success,” Indiana Corn Marketing Council representative David Howell told the group.

“In addition to the obvious benefits of lowering trade barriers and opening markets for both countries, the FTA also provides important intangible benefits,” said Deb Keller of Iowa Corn Promotion Board. “It provides predictability that enables industries in both countries to make investment and commitments over the long-term.

“Finally, it provides unlimited opportunity to collectively further strengthen and nurture our strategic and economic linkages with an important ally in this hemisphere,” she said

Group members included:

– Doyle Lentz – North Dakota Barley Council

– Wayne Cleveland – Texas Grain Sorghum Producers Board

– Deb Keller – Iowa Corn Promotion Board

– David Howell – Indiana Corn Marketing Council

– Kurt Shultz – USGC Regional Director for Latin America

– Floyd Gaibler – USGC Director of Trade Policy

– Marri Carrow – USGC Director of Communications

For photos of the mission, click here:

The U.S. Grains Council is a private, non-profit partnership of farmers and agribusinesses committed to building and expanding international markets for U.S. barley, corn, grain sorghum and their products. The Council is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has nine international offices that oversee programs in more than 50 countries. Financial support from our private industry members, including state checkoffs, agribusinesses, state entities and others, triggers federal matching funds from the USDA resulting in a combined program value of more than $29 million.

The U.S. Grains Council does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation or marital/family status. Persons with disabilities, who require alternative means for communication of program information, should contact the U.S. Grains Council.