USGC leverages resources into export market expansion for U.S. agriculture

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) recently published a pair of reports, the 2023-2024 Corn Harvest Quality Report and 2023-2024 Corn Export Cargo Quality Report, that provide scientific data on the year’s U.S. corn crop and enhances trust and relationship building with international buyers. 

Both reports offer reliable information on U.S. corn quality from the farm to the customer based on transparent and consistent methodology, offering an early view of grading factors established by the USDA, moisture content and other characteristics not reported elsewhere. The reports identify any noticeable changes occurring between these two time periods caused by shipping and logistics. 

The Council presents the studies to buyers in rollout events in various regions around the world and organizes conferences that bring U.S. producers and exporters together with international buyers and end-users to further expand U.S. agriculture’s reach in foreign markets. 

For example, in April the Council’s India office hosted its inaugural Buyers and Sellers Conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where more than 100 local buyers engaged with nine U.S. agribusinesses through a series of one-on-one meetings and presentations showcasing the importance of using high-quality feed ingredients in key industries including poultry, aquaculture and dairy. 

Key topics included the use of U.S. distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and U.S. corn, while also touching on the U.S. farmer perspective around best practices and proper grain storage management. 

“As one of the largest and most accessible markets in the subcontinent, this conference created an ideal atmosphere for Bangladeshi buyers to speak with new and existing sellers to conduct business,” explained Reece H. Cannady, USGC director in India. “At the same time, there are many regulatory challenges in Bangladesh, and buyers and sellers were able to work together and find solutions to overcome them.” 

The Council’s diligent tracking of growing export statistics works in tandem with these events, providing a backbone of data to support staff presentations that display the quality of U.S. agriculture products to attendees. 

To complement the conference, sellers spent two days taking part in field visits to aqua ponds and feed mills. This allowed sellers to establish a greater understanding of the potential shown in Bangladesh, while also gaining perspectives on the challenges that end-users face. For both buyers and sellers, the visits created a unique opportunity to interact with customers and, in some cases, see U.S.-origin products in use. 

“Activities like the Buyers and Sellers Conference are an important component of our programming, as they can be a direct driver of sales and market development,” Cannady said. “The message is simple — the U.S. agricultural sector wants to ensure sustainable growth in the Bangladeshi feed sector. If Bangladesh grows, U.S. farmers win.” 

This year’s Corn Harvest Quality Report and Corn Export Cargo Quality Report, as well as all previous editions, are available for download here.