May is full of celebrations in the agricultural world: National Beef Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, and World Trade Month!
The U.S. Grains Council shares why World Trade Month is such a significant event for them:
“U.S. agriculture has a positive story to tell about trade. Right now, about 14% of corn is exported. Sixty to 70% of U.S. sorghum is exported depending on the year. We also exported a large amount of barley to Mexico for the brewing industry. But it’s important to note that those numbers do not account for exports of ethanol and DDGs, which add to those numbers. So, trade is vitally important for agriculture, and highlighting that during May helps support the positive aspects of trade.”
Brent Boydston, U.S. Grains Council Chair
The Council is working to improve international trade opportunities for American grain farmers. The chair shares the many benefits it brings to the U.S. grains industry and the overall global economy.
“Some of those key benefits for promoting trade include developing markets for U.S. farmers, which helps support the price of our commodities. And two, is giving our international customers access to that high-quality coarse grain that we produce here in the United States. The U.S. offers a stable supply at stable prices, and this ultimately contributes to consumer confidence with our trade partners.”
Brent Boydston, U.S. Grains Council Chair
Some of the activities the U.S. Grains Council hosts include trade missions and conferences where global partners can hear directly from U.S. farmers.
