USGC Recognizes Three Ohio Corn Delegates For Five Years Of Service

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) recognized three delegates from the Ohio Corn Marketing Program for five years of service at the 17th International Marketing Conference and 60th Annual Membership Meeting in Tampa, Florida: Fred Miller, Keith Truckor and Gene Baumgardner.

Miller remembered attending his first USGC annual meeting in Long Beach, California, learning about the importance of the Council’s mission to establish relationships on a global level. He became personally involved in that mission by joining the Council’s advisory teams (A-Teams). He currently serves on the Western Hemisphere A-Team and led the team from 2017 to 2019.

“When I joined the Western Hemisphere A-team, the importance of the Council’s work in the region was apparent – both with our neighboring countries as trading partners as well as countries in Central and South America,” Miller said. “As the A-Team lead, my priorities were to continue and improve our trading relationships in the hemisphere.”

Truckor and Baumgardner have also actively participated in the Council’s strategy and program planning through A-Team involvement. Truckor currently serves on the Asia A-Team and has previously served on the advisory teams for ethanol and trade policy. Baumgardner currently serves on the Middle East/Africa/South Asia A-Team and has also been a member of the Innovation and Sustainability A-Team.

These three Ohio corn farmers have also represented the industry on overseas missions to promote U.S. corn, co-products and ethanol. Miller specifically recalled his experiences during various missions to Mexico, where he represented U.S. farmers during USGC activities.

“Standing in the feedlot in southeast Mexico admiring a herd of hump-backed cows made a big impression,” Miller said. “Seeing agriculture in other parts of the world helps connect U.S. farmers like me with international farmers.”

Through all these activities, these members have spent considerable time with the Council’s worldwide staff, to whom Miller gave specific recognition for their efforts to promote global trade of U.S. coarse grains, co-products and ethanol.

“The Council and its staff do a great job in promoting U.S. corn, sorghum, barley, ethanol and dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS),” Miller said. “Enabling members and producers to meet face-to-face with the buyers and end-users of our products and provide valuable market information is just one part of the work the Council does so well.”

Please join the Council in thanking Miller, Truckor and Baumgardner for five years of service!