Free trade agreement (FTA) partners continue to represent some of the largest and most loyal customers for U.S. coarse grains, co-products and ethanol. Tracking export totals to FTA partners is now easier than ever, thanks to an expanded offering in the U.S. Grains Council’s (USGC’s) web-based Feed Grains In All Forms (GIAF) portal.
“Providing information, trends and statistics on trade helps the Council share how global grain trade works and grows,” said Bryan Jernigan, USGC director of communications. “New tracking of demand from FTA partners through the monthly updates to the portal helps demonstrate how these agreements provide critical market access for exports.”
The United States has 14 FTAs in place with 20 countries. FTA partners purchased 59.4 million metric tons (2.34 billion bushels in corn equivalent) of U.S. GIAF in the 2018/2019 marketing year, representing 55 percent of total GIAF exports, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) trade data and USGC analysis.
That slice of the overall demand pie has stayed consistent in the first eight months of the 2019/2020 marketing year with FTA partners purchasing 54 percent of U.S. GIAF exports, equal to 34.9 million tons (1.37 billion bushels in corn equivalent).
Available on the USGC website, the free portal tracks exports of U.S. corn, sorghum, barley and dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS) and converts volumes of exported U.S. corn gluten feed (CGF), corn gluten meal (CGM), ethanol and meat products into corn equivalents. The update adds the ability to track aggregated exports to U.S. FTA trading partners as data is released monthly through USDA’s Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS). Access this new information is available by selecting “U.S. FTA Partners” from the country filter (see graphic).
“The data included in the portal offers a different and more holistic view of the amount of feed grains produced by U.S. farmers and consumed by overseas customers in an easy-to-read format,” Jernigan said. “Follow along as the marketing year progresses to learn more about the Council’s programs as well as the importance of trade to U.S. farmers and agribusinesses.”
About The U.S. Grains Council
The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability. Detailed information about the Council and its programs is online at www.grains.org.