Cordova, MD – On Friday, October 28, 2016, a team of Egyptian grain-buyers visited Maryland to learn about the area’s grain farms ad elevators as part of the U.S. Grain’s Council (USGC) Export Exchange 2016 Program. The team met with USGC Chair, Chip Councell of Councell Farms, who took them to see corn harvest at Hutchison Brothers Grain and Nagel Grain Elevator.
The buyers were excited to see Maryland grain production and handling systems first-hand and to have the opportunity to make a business connection while on the tour. Councell educated the team on the high-quality supply of Maryland corn, as well as the stewardship and technology used to produce it. The team was highly impressed by Maryland corn production and seemed eager to develop trade relationships.
Hosted every other year by USGC and the Renewable Fuels Association, Export Exchange brings together international buyers with U.S. sellers of corn, sorghum, barley, distiller’s dried grains with solubles, corn gluten meal and corn gluten feed. The team of Egyptian grain-buyers that visited Maryland is one of 19 who participated. The USGC’s market development work is funded by members like the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board (MGPUB), the Market Access Program, and the Foreign Market Development Program in the 2014 Farm Bill.
Locally, MGPUB supports the Council’s efforts to promote U.S. grain sales in more than 50 countries and the European Union because trade is a critical component of farmer profitability. Exports of Maryland Grain and grain products were last valued at $8.2 million. The economic ripple effects of these grain and grain product exports created $13.8 million in economic output, $4.7 million in gross state product, and 81 full-time equivalent jobs in the state economy.
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