Maryland grain farmers Chip Bowling, Chip Councell, and Paul Spies recently returned from the U.S. Grain Council (USGC) 14th International Marketing Conference and 57th Annual Membership Meeting in Panama City, Panama.
The kickoff event allowed attendees to get a firsthand look at the Panama Canal expansion. This was a unique opportunity to see trade in action and an important reminder of the dynamic global trade environment. Before the tour, Chio Councell, USGC chairman signed a formal memorandum of understanding with Manuel Benitez, Panama Canal deputy administrator, recognizing the importance of the Panama Canal to U.S. grain trade.
Sixty-nine percent of all cargo traveling through the Panama Canal originates from or is destined for the United States, including roughly one-third of total U.S. grain exports. The new set of locks will open opportunities for larger and more efficient shipments of all products.
During this international conference, Advisory Teams met to discuss issues of importance in each trade region of the world major topics including ethanol, innovation and sustainability, trade policy, and value-added products. The US Grains Council delegates also met in sector-specific groups, for corn barley, and sorghum producers as well as agribusinesses and general farm organizations.
“As market opportunities constantly ebb and flow, so must USGC continuously adjust our activities to maintain our long-term global trading partners and meet increasing demand in developing markets,” said Councell. “The input of our Advisory Teams is essential to both developing the Council’s overarching strategy and planning the Council’s annual activities.”
Building personal relationships with those involved in grains trading around the world is an important part of increasing market demand for U.S. grain and grain products. MD Grain Producers Utilization Board is proud to have Maryland farmers leading the way in building and strengthening export markets for American farmers.
Leave a Reply