In October, the Nebraska Corn Board hosted two trade missions, which consisted of major U.S. corn buyers from Mexico and Saudi Arabia. The trade teams met with Nebraska farmers, suppliers and exporters of corn and corn coproducts to better understand U.S. corn production, marketing and exporting logistics.

The visits were coordinated in collaboration with the U.S. Grains Council, which works to develop export markets for U.S. agricultural products, such as corn, distillers dried grain with solubles and ethanol.

“American farmers have sustainably been growing quality agricultural products for generations,” says David Bruntz, chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board and farmer from Friend. “With 95% of the world’s population living outside of the United States, we must develop and maintain positive trade agreements with our global customers. By inviting these customers to the U.S., we’re able to help them understand our supply chain, so they’ll feel more confident doing business with American farmers. This undeniably has an economic value to our state and our country, but we’re also helping provide feed, fuel and fiber to the world.”

While in Nebraska, the Mexican grain buyers met with local corn growers, Aurora Cooperative and Gavilon, to better understand the U.S. value chain of white corn to Mexico from harvest to shipping.

Nebraska is the largest producer of white corn in the U.S., and Mexico has historically been the largest importer of U.S. white corn. From Nebraska, the group further explored the U.S. white corn industry through stops in Missouri and Kentucky.

Both trade missions, from Mexico and Saudi Arabia, represented only two of 21 international teams that were in the U.S. in October to participate in Export Exchange, a biyearly event sponsored by the U.S. Grains Council, Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy. This year’s Export Exchange took place in Minneapolis. The purpose of the event was to connect global grain buyers to over 300 domestic suppliers.

Saudi Arabia as corn importer
Saudi Arabia is the eighth-largest overseas importer of U.S. corn, importing 3.7 million metric tons in market year 2017-18, and is the second-largest buyer of U.S. sorghum, importing 280,000 metric tons during the 2017-18 market year. The imported commodities are frequently used in dairies, feed and poultry companies.

While in Nebraska, the Saudi Arabian team visited the farms of Steve Wellman, director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, and Don Bloss, past chairman of the National Sorghum Producers.

As major feed grain buyers, the visitors wanted to better familiarize themselves with U.S. corn and sorghum production. In addition to visiting Nebraska corn and sorghum farms, they visited Farmers’ Cooperative in Beatrice, the Aurora Cooperative corporate office and Pacific Ethanol, both in Aurora, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“We really had several great conversations with both teams over the last several weeks,” says Roger Berry, director of market development with the Nebraska Corn Board. “Our governments may not always see eye to eye, but these customers are so eager to learn more about U.S. agriculture. They want to be partners with American farmers in helping to meet the growing demands of their people, which is a major reason we host these trade teams. We have products to sell, and we want to be able to show the world that U.S. agriculture is open for business.”

The Nebraska Corn Board partnered with the U.S. Grains Council to coordinate the missions. The U.S. Grains Council works in more than 50 countries and the European Union to market U.S. grains and their related products to build long-term demand from loyal customers.

Source: Nebraska Corn Board