U.S. Trade Policy, Grains Transportation Value Chain Spotlighted At Export Exchange 2018

The challenges and opportunities surrounding transportation of U.S. feed grains to end-users in countries around the world was the topic of conversation at Export Exchange 2018 on Wednesday.

“Export Exchange is an opportunity to demonstrate just how amazing the streamlined and efficient U.S. value chain is,” said U.S. Grains Council (USGC) Chairman Jim Stitzlein. “We want to show potential buyers just how it allows grain grown on thousands of farms to be harvested, collected and commingled at elevators, then transported by barge or rail to terminal elevators, further combined, and then loaded for delivery to foreign destinations.

“We are absolutely committed to working with our international customers, drawing on our inherent strengths to get them what they want when they need it.”

Attendees received a U.S. trade policy briefing from Dan Pearson, former chairman of the U.S International Trade Commission (ITC) and principal at Pearson International Trade Services.

“There is reason for optimism. Reason will prevail over instinct and economics will win in the end,” Pearson told attendees. “U.S. agriculture will continue to be a reliable supplier of agricultural commodities over the long run to countries around the world. The world needs U.S. agriculture and the U.S. needs the world.”

Each speaker emphasized that the United States is open for business and ready to work with global partners around the world to meet the growing coarse grains and co-product needs of populations overseas.

Florentino Lopez, executive director of the United Sorghum Checkoff Program updated attendees on the outlook for U.S. sorghum. Mark Slupek, deputy administrator, Office of Trade Programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA’s FAS), addressed attendees on the USDA’s perspective on trade programs and how they work in a changing trading environment.

“The message I want to bring to you today is American agriculture is open for business, and USDA is all in,” Slupek said. “We operate many foreign market development programs and they are about one thing – building relationships. We feel committed to our partnership with the Council and the U.S. grains industry.”

The morning culminated with a panel discussion between three grain transportation experts about issues facing the global grain trade and its shipping channels.

The panel included Kelle Horn, vice president, Pacific Rim Shipbrokers, Inc. and Stephen Nothdurft, assistant vice president and Midwest regional manager, Hyundai Merchant Marine. Ken Ericksen, senior vice president, head of client advisory development at Informa Economics acted as moderator.

USGC President and CEO Tom Sleight closed the meeting, thanking attendees for their time and effort to attend and emphasizing the ties between U.S. agriculture and international customers.

“Meetings like Export Exchange make it very apparent why it is essential for us to keep the bonds between suppliers and partner countries,” he said. “The connections made here will not only propel our industry this year, but for years to come.”