U.S. Grains Council

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S Trade Representative’s office recently led a marketing mission to China. A broad group of people from various areas of the ag industry made up the largest trade mission ever put together. Wendell Shauman - Chairman of the U.S. Grains Council - was on the trip and says the Consulates of Chendu and Shanghai were heavily involved in the mission.

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The U.S. Grains Council announced today Dr. Bryan Lohmar will be its new China Director. Lohmar has a Ph.D. in Ag Economics and several years of experience in China - according to U.S. Grains Council CEO Tom Dorr.

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Everyone knows the world’s population is increasing. The U.S. Grains Council has initiated a report called Food 2040 to look at future food demand and expectations in the Asian market. Thomas C. Dorr - USGC President and CEO - says the report reveals a few things people may have known - but not appreciated or recognized. In the past - Dorr says the U.S. was dealing with countries with political and economic challenges.

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U.S. Grains Council President and CEO Thomas C. Dorr shares his views on Asia’s potential at the Commodity Classic with Ohio’s Country Journal – March 2012. “Most countries look at food security as a something has to be predicated on self-sufficiency … over the next 20 years, there will be a recognition that you can be food secure even though you are not self-sufficient,” said Dorr. Ty Higgins has more.

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The U.S. Grains Council has released its first annual Corn Harvest Quality Report, designed to communicate the quality of the U.S. corn crop being harvested and delivered to international customers. USGC President and CEO Thomas C. Dorr says the report is significant for many reasons.

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U.S. Grains Council officers recently completed the two-week 2012 Officer Mission through Argentina and Brazil to see production outlook and current infrastructure conditions. Most of the team members had never been to the two countries before - according to USGC Chairman Wendell Shauman - who says the mission was very informative and valuable.

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State corn checkoff executives recently traveled to Ukraine to assess that country’s production potential, trade opportunities and the potential threat to U.S. market competitiveness in the region.

Iowa Corn Promotion Board CEO Craig Floss participated in the U.S. Grains Council’s State Executives mission - and says he was most surprised by the significant progress Ukrainians are making in areas of their agricultural development.

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The U.S. Grains Council’s press conference detailing the recently-concluded annual USGC China Corn Tour.

During the call, the Council announces its production estimates based on a tour of selected corn fields in China, as well as provides an outlook on the China corn market. Leading the discussion is Thomas C. Dorr, USGC president and CEO; Kevin Latner, USGC director in China; David Howell, USGC Asia Advisory-Team leader and participant on the tour; and Mike Callahan, USGC senior director of international programs.

When the Council first began the tour in 1996, it was the only information that was accumulated outside of Chinese government data collection. Complete and factual information on Chinese grain demand, production and carryover stock is difficult to come by through official sources. Tracking the Chinese grain market and performing the Council’s annual corn crop tour adds knowledge that is otherwise neither attainable nor reliable. The Corn Tour consists of two major surveys in the North China Plain and in Northeast China. These two areas represent 71 percent of China’s corn production. The remaining 30 percent is dispersed and difficult to survey.

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The U.S. Grains Council concluded its 2010 fall corn tour in China. This year’s USGC China Corn Tour covered about 71-percent of the country’s corn production area. Based on the samples collected - the Council is not expecting a return to a bumper crop - but is forecasting a 158-million metric ton crop produced on an area of approximately 30-million hectares. The Chinese government currently estimates the crop at 165-million metric tons - while USDA puts the crop at 166-million metric tons. JCI - the Chinese-American joint venture that offers detailed market intelligence on Chinese and global commodities - estimates a crop of 158.7-million metric tons.

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