USGC’s Corn Sustainability Assurance Program touted during China meeting 

In July, U.S. Grains Council (USGC) staff met with key partners and customers about the sustainability of U.S. corn and how the Council’s Corn Sustainability Assurance Program (CSAP) helps U.S. corn exporters and importers address sustainability requirements associated with their products. 

The Chinese government recently unveiled its corporate sustainability disclosure guidelines, under which companies will report within a unified sustainability framework. These procedures will come into effect in 2027 and were developed in line with the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). 

“The Chinese market is signaling it’s looking to align with international sustainability standards, and this creates an opportunity thanks to U.S. corn growers’ long tradition of conservation and environmental stewardship,” said Manuel Sanchez, USGC director in China. “This was the perfect time to introduce the CSAP to the Chinese market and leverage the great work U.S. farmers are already doing to enhance U.S. agriculture’s market share here.” 

The CSAP is a program developed and implemented by the Council that began in February 2023. This program allows stakeholders within the multiple supply chains that U.S. corn products participate, to provide a baseline level of assurance of the sustainability of U.S. corn production practices and environmental outcomes. The CSAP outlines state and federal laws that assure sustainable practices are implemented where required, and it highlights sustainable practices used in U.S. corn production. 

By implementing the CSAP, the Council is maintaining market access in the face of evolving sustainability standards. U.S. corn is prepared for the sustainability changes required from the market in China. 

Sanchez and USGC Director of Global Sustainability Carlos Suárez, who oversees the CSAP and its integration into the worldwide agricultural supply chains, met with stakeholders in China to discuss the new change in Chinese policy and how the U.S. meets these standards. Sanchez and Suárez were joined by USGC Sustainable Corn Exports Chairman and Iowa corn farmer Roger Zylstra. 

The agenda began with a meeting with USDA representatives at the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai to discuss new promotional strategies and opportunities for the U.S. industry after the recent policy changes in China. 

Council staff also toured several port facilities and met with a multinational food processing company and an agricultural market analysis firm to better understand how the national sustainability initiative will affect domestic companies and their raw material imports. 

The group participated in the 15th China International Cereals and Oils Industry Summit on July 11, where Sanchez and Suárez spoke on a panel about global feed grain supply outlooks. 

Suárez then gave a presentation on the CSAP and how advantageous it is to both buyers and sellers by providing detailed insights into the regulations, processes and management practices involved in U.S. corn production. 

“The sustainability standards that China adopts will have immense ripple effects in the global economy, and the U.S. industry needs to be ready for international importers’ needs to shift and establish new avenues of engagement in foreign markets,” Suárez said. 

The Council is prepared to continue enabling trade with the help of CSAP.