USGC Conversion Application Helps Buyers, Industry Participants Access Critical Market Information

To help overseas customers better understand marketplace dynamics and easily access comparable market information, the U.S. Grains Council developed a grains conversion calculator tool with a mobile application interface using $63,500 of Market Access Program (MAP) funds. The calculator accommodates language and country-specific units of measurement so that trade partners can quickly and easily gain a greater understanding of the value of U.S. grain commodities.

During USGC’s global staff conference in April 2015, a staff marketing specialist based in Mexico remarked on common questions from nearly all international trade teams: how many bushels are in a metric ton? And how does bushels per acre compare to metric tons per hectare?

USGC website analytics further demonstrated the appetite for conversion information: the grains conversion factors page on USGC’s website is the most visited page on the site other than the homepage.

This qualitative and quantitative input, and the growing trend towards mobile Internet usage, inspired the Council to pursue a smartphone application that could help increase the transparency and reduce the complexity of commodity pricing information. This tool ultimately will demonstrate to international buyers and end-users that the United States is a reliable, long-term supplier of grains and that the Council can facilitate getting the grain they need.

Furthermore, USGC deliberately pursued a design that would create a favorable user experience across a multicultural audience and would be easily usable in a wide variety of situations, with or without Internet access.

The app was released in early 2016 and, in its first six weeks available to users, it was downloaded 533 times across three platforms, vastly exceeding expectations for the launch phase. Additional downloads are anticipated as promotion continues and as the Council hosts nearly 40 trade teams in the summer and fall of 2016.

Qualitative feedback, including the following quote, reinforces the tool’s usefulness in commodity trade conversations: “I used the conversion app when I discussed a contract for barley with an overseas supplier. When we discussed differences in the yields of barley and wheat, the app was very handy to calculate the weight of the grains from bushel units. I have been recommending this app to my contact importers.”