The world over, one adage holds true, people want to do business with individuals and organizations they know and trust. To see how markets work and to talk face-to-face with customers around the world, Iowa farmers through the Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) along with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) and the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) have boots on the ground in major export markets. Building relationships amongst Iowa corn farmers and international buyers remains a key to USGC and USMEF’s work that can be directly attributed to sales of U.S. corn products.
“During these missions, Iowa corn farmers learn more about their customers’ businesses and these activities show them we value their partnership,” said Heckman. “This is really the only way to move the needle in knowing buyers’ needs, the quality of the product they are seeking, and how we can meet their expectations.”
In 2015, Iowa corn farmers went on several trade missions to discuss topics such as crop progress, DDGs, meat trade visits and communicating the results of the corn quality report.
“Every meeting includes us telling the story of our farm which helps them put a face to the product they buy,” Heckman explained. “Sometimes they simply want to learn about corn planting or harvest. Other times they want to discover our methods for corn or livestock production. These simple exchanges of knowledge yield some of the most important connections. If price is the same with our competition, the relationships we have built will win the business.”
Examples of Recent Trade Servicing Missions:
In an effort to provide a transparent and objective view of the most recent U.S. corn crop, USGC released the 2015/2016 Corn Harvest Report. The overall report showed the crop was better than the average based on the previous four years on most attributes, with 94 percent of the samples grade U.S. No. 2 or better. U.S. farmers journeyed around the world sharing the report with international buyers.
The 2015/2016 Corn Harvest Quality Report marks the fifth in an annual series. The report gives accurate and timely information on crop quality helping buyers make more informed decisions, increasing their confidence in the capacity and reliability of our market, and assisting countries around the world in achieving food security through trade. Click here for a copy of the full report.
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The Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB), works to develop and defend markets, fund research, and provide education about corn and corn products. For more information, visit iowacorn.org.
Shannon Textor
Director of Marketing and Communications
Iowa Corn Growers Association
515-255-9242
stextor@iowacorn.org
Lisa Cassady
Public Relations Manager
Iowa Corn Growers Association
515-225-9242
lcassady@iowacorn.org