U.S. Grains Council Mission Report

The purpose of this mission was to meet with buyers and end users of U.S. Corn to deliver the
Cargo Export Quality Report, as well as to introduce the meeting attendees to our farms via pictures.

Both Wayne Humpreys, a farmer from Southern Iowa and I explained our planting intentions, how we produce our corn, what our farm improvements have been, where the U.S. corn crop is used and how ethanol fits in. One of our main objectives was to reassure the customers that the U. S. will remain a reliable supplier of corn and sorghum (see video).

Deb Keller & Wayne Humpreys

Wayne and I were able to address some concerns such as mycotoxins, rail, and corn kernel quality.

Here are some of my observations:
 

• The Cargo Export report is useful to buyers. The Harvest Report gives a more accurate picture of what they should expect- this is just one more way the USGC is handling customer service.
• Buyers want corn at 13.5 to 14.5%.
• Mexico produces very little yellow corn.
• It is estimated that 30% of the white corn that is produced in Mexico is never marketed but rather kept for their personal use.
  

With Mexico's 2 corn crops a year (May-June and November) the one shuttle station that we visited will not be taking U.S. Corn in favor of the domestic crop. Shipments from the U.S. will resume when the domestic corn is consumed.

The buyers liked meeting with farmers. It seemed that we were able to give one more layer of reassurance that we will continue to be able to supply their needs and that we appreciate their business.

I personally would like to thank the USGC as well as Iowa Corn for their efforts in organizing this
mission. A very special thanks to Julio and Javier  from the US Grains Council for showing us the great potential of Mexico.

Deb Keller farms near Clarion in Wright County with her husband, Gary, raising corn and soybeans. Deb is a past chair of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and has served on Iowa Corn’s Research & Business Development Committee as well as the Exports & Grain Trade Committee.  In addition, Deb is on the Board with the U.S. Grains Council and has served on numerous U.S. Grains Council and National Corn Growers Association teams.  Her non-farm activities include service on the local board of review for Wright County.  She has also served on the board of trustees for First United Methodist Church, been chairman of the church’s worship committee, a Sunday school superintendent, and host for a German exchange student. Keller has a B.S. in agronomy from Purdue University, and has worked for Dow Chemical and as a sales representative for American Cyanamid. Deb and Gary have three children, with one daughter recently returning to the family farm business.