USGC Conducts BCFM Management and Storage Trainings In Latin America

Last week, U.S. Grains Council (USGC) staff traveled to Panama with the goal of engaging key customers on best storage practices as well as how broken corn and foreign materials (BCFM) can be managed to highlight and maximize the efficiency of U.S. corn.

The team visited key customers and end-users, primarily from the feed milling sector, and conducted detailed plant audits with plant staff and management to identify points of improvement. Staff also provided insight into the importance of grain storage management in maintaining grain quality.

Studies have shown that BCFM retains between 95-98 percent of the nutritional value of whole corn, meaning it’s important to show how it can still be used to make the most of its potential to save costs.

“Implementation of grain storage methods are paramount to the operation of any processor of grain, but we also see how proactive storage strategies will allow U.S. corn to thrive as it can solve some of its common issues while also helping mitigate the deterioration of grain quality,” said Alexander Grabois, USGC manager of global strategies and trade.

“One of the key takeaways we are seeing is our end-users need to view the grain they purchase from the U.S. as an investment and proper handling equals higher profits.”

During the meetings, the Council highlighted the importance of using what is at each plant’s disposal to best answer its challenges in harnessing BCFM. A key solution many plants were not maximizing was the use of a grain screener. It can be used to separate BCFM before storage for processing, while whole grains stored in bins are at lower risks of mycotoxin proliferation and other unsafe conditions due to heat and carbon dioxide.

“For the Council, one of the priorities has been to use grain storage training sessions as a driver to highlight where U.S. corn provides advantages and how common practices can make a significant difference in improving the perception and experience in processing U.S. corn. For these trainings Latin America, and Panama specifically, are ideal partners due to the quantity of U.S. corn arriving here,” said Marri Tejada, USGC regional director for Latin America.

“The Council will look to conduct storage-specific trials in this market in the coming months to show how BCFM can best be managed in a commercial setting, by using screeners and hold trials to measure how BCFM performs in animal diets at various inclusion rates.”

Learn more about the Council’s work in corn here.