On Wednesday, U.S. Grains Council (USGC) members gathered north of the border for the first time since 2017 for its 63rd Annual Board of Delegates Meeting in Calgary, Canada.
USGC Chairman Josh Miller opened the meeting by greeting Council members, guests and staff and sharing a preview of the conference:
“My theme for this past year, Live the Mission, recognized the tireless work of our members and staff in pursuit of greater economic possibilities for U.S. farmers,” Miller said. “This meeting is an opportunity for everyone involved with the Council to come together and refocus our goals and strategies for the upcoming year and learn from our fantastic lineup of speakers about the latest agricultural developments, challenges and opportunities around the world.”
After a welcome address from Tourism Calgary, attendees were treated to a recorded message from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Under Secretary Alexis Taylor. Taylor discussed the strong gains made in U.S. agriculture’s top 10 markets and headwinds facing the industry from drought and geopolitical tensions.
“Market access wins don’t happen overnight, but can take months, years or sometimes even decades and it’s with partners like the USGC who are critical to securing these successes,” Taylor said. “I look forward to further strengthening USDA’s relationship with all of the markets touched on today and to continue the partnership with the USGC in advancing U.S. grain, feed and ethanol exports to the international marketplace.”
First generation cattleman and motivational speaker Matt Niswander followed and shared his experiences in rural engagement and the importance of being a community leader.
The general session concluded with a roundtable discussion of bioethanol experts including Hagan Rose, director of sales and international marketing at Eco-Energy; Ian Thomson, president at Advanced Biofuels Canada; and Dan Pfeffer, managing director at PAA Advisory.
In the afternoon, attendees spent time in Advisory Team (A-Team) meetings. Each A-Team has a specific focus: Asia, ethanol, innovation and sustainability, Middle East/Africa/South Asia, trade policy, value-added and Western Hemisphere. These meetings allowed members to offer input and set priorities to determine the Council’s course of action over the coming year.
More from the meeting is available on social media using the hashtag #Grains23 or through the website www.grains.org/event/calgary/.
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.