DELAWARE, Ohio – Export Exchange 2016 is next week in Detroit, Michigan, and overseas grain buyers from Central America are seeing U.S. grain production and the U.S. export system for themselves in northwest Ohio.
The goal of this team’s visit to Ohio is for the Central American participants to gain a deeper understanding of the U.S. grain export value-chain and to learn how U.S. corn is produced, graded and marketed. While in Ohio October 20-22, the team will visit Glandorf Feed in Glandorf, a livestock operation in Cloverdale, The Andersons in Maumee and enjoy dinner at Vennekotter Farms near Continental.
“We believe that by seeing the U.S. corn value-chain firsthand, the confidence of our Central American customers in the U.S. grain export system will be reinforced,” said Keith Truckor, chairman of the Ohio Corn Checkoff. “Team participants will have a better understanding of the advantages of buying U.S. coarse grains and co-products.”
With a record corn harvest just reaching export channels, a total of 19 pre- and post- Export Exchange trade teams sponsored by the U.S. Grains Council are in the fields, offering a perfect opportunity for the more than 200 participating grain buyers to see the U.S. supply and quality for themselves.
“At a time when we are looking at a record corn harvest and the clear need for international trade to be championed by our country’s leaders, Export Exchange is critical for our industry,” said Tom Sleight, president and CEO of the U.S. Grains Council.
“It is essential for us to strengthen the bonds between suppliers and partner countries, and the connections made next week will not only help propel our industry this year, but for years to come.”
Held every other year by the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), Export Exchange brings together international buyers with U.S. sellers of corn, sorghum, barley, distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), corn gluten meal and corn gluten feed.
Ohio Corn Checkoff is an active member of the USGC, a private, non-profit organization that works to develop exports in more than 50 countries from 10 worldwide offices and its Washington, D.C. headquarters.
More information about the trade team’s activities is available online at ohiocornandwheat.org. More information on Export Exchange 2016 is available at www.exportexchange.org or on social media using the hashtag #ExEx16.