Kentucky corn producers connect globally to advance local corn production and sustainable farming practices.
Engaging in Global Agricultural Conversations in Guatemala
In February, Kentucky corn producers participated in the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) International Marketing Conference and Annual Membership meeting in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Highlights included discussing the current state of feed grain and biofuel markets around the world, as well as the Council’s work in aquaculture.
The event provided members with an overview of the Council’s strategy for the coming year. It included several Advisory Team (A-Team) sessions, where experts in various agricultural commodities and markets came together to conduct market and commodity-specific deep dives and share experiences relevant to their industry for this year.
Kentucky Corn Promotion Council (KYCPC) board member Joseph Sisk, Kentucky Corn Growers Association (KYCGA) board member Ronan Cummins, and past board member Jeff Rice attended the conference.
Sisk attended the annual meeting portion and noted the informative presentations highlighting the premium value of U.S. corn compared to South American corn.
“U.S. corn’s softer kernel leads to a higher conversion rate in animal feed, resulting in increased weight gain in poultry and more meat protein,” said Sisk. “These efforts by the USGC prove why our corn is not only cheaper as a feedstock but also leads to higher usage and prices for producers, showing the impact of our checkoff funds.”
Another key takeaway from the conference was the presentation of the initial results of the Sustainable Corn Exports (SCE) platform that helps farmers, exporters, and importers of U.S. corn to validate sustainable production practices. The SCE exceeded use expectations in the first year with 117 registered users representing 25 countries, 167 Records of Sustainability (ROS) issued, and 1.35 million metric tons of corn exported covered by ROS. KYCPC helped fund the development of this platform.
Sharing Sustainable Farming Insights in Thailand
Terry Wimp, a Kentucky Corn Growers Association board member and corn farmer from Hardin County, traveled to Thailand to participate in a sustainability discussion panel in March.
The panel, facilitated by the U.S. Grains Council and part of a session at the Agriculture Supply Chain Asia Conference in Bangkok, provided Southeast Asia and Oceania agricultural communities with insights into important conservation farming techniques.
Along with answering questions from the audience, Wimp discussed the sustainable practices he implements on his farm, as well as fertilizer and yield trends, and the critical times of the year for planting and other timely applications that make-or-break crop quality and yield.
Wimp was also joined by panelists from the U.S., Singapore, and the Netherlands, representing crop commodity groups, sustainability organizations, and animal agriculture.
Thailand is a growing destination for U.S. agricultural exports due to its expanding economy and increasing consumer incomes and ranks as the 18th largest export market for U.S. agricultural products.
Corn imports for the 2023/24 marketing year are forecasted to reach 1.8 MMT, a 20 percent increase from 2022/23. This growth is being driven in part by rising demand for feed corn due to increased swine and poultry production.
Participation in these types of conferences are crucial to linking buyers and sellers, helping to increase our export opportunities and improve grain prices.