October 23, 2024

Iowa Welcomes International Trade Teams Before and After Export Exchange Conference

Iowa Corn welcomed two U.S. Grains Council (USGC) trade teams this month in coordination with the Export Exchange global conference hosted by USGC, Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA).

Trade teams serve as a crucial opportunity for international buyers and traders to visit the U.S. value chain, learn more about U.S. commodities and generate potential business connections while building relationships with farmers.

The first team included delegates from Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. While in Iowa, the team attended a seminar at Iowa State University about corn fermentation, co-products and processing skills. In this seminar, attendees learned new feed milling methods before heading to a POET ethanol plant in Shell Rock. Later, they experienced corn harvest first-hand while visiting Mark Mueller, ICGA First Vice Chair and farmer from Bremer County as well as Steve Kuiper, ICGA District 8 Director and farmer from Marion County. Before ending their time in Iowa, the delegates visited Two Rivers Cooperative in Pella to see the elevator storage and loading process as well as interact with local farmers that use the co-op’s services.

Post-Export Exchange, a team with delegates from Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria and Tunisia also visited Iowa to learn more about the U.S. marketing system and export value chain for feed grains and co-products. Their mission began with a visit to an ADM facility in Burlington to watch corn being loaded onto barges. The attendees also visited Big River Resources in West Burlington for an ethanol plant tour before finishing their time in Iowa with a farm visit to Dan Keitzer, ICGA District 9 Director and farmer from Des Moines County, to learn more about corn and hog production as well as sustainable production research.

“With over 97% of our world’s population living outside of the U.S., it is a priority for us as corn farmers and an organization to engage our customers from across the globe,” shared Kuiper. “As the number one producer of corn in the U.S. we must make sure we are continuing to grow and build new demand with other countries. The connections made here on the farm and at Export Exchange go a long way to move our product to these markets.”

Trade teams offer the opportunity for attendees to visit each aspect of the agricultural value chain, inspect the quality of U.S. agricultural products, connect with farmers and build new business relationships. The information learned during the visits can be applied to future business practices and strengthen ties between Iowa corn farmers and global customers.

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