Earlier this month, Kentucky corn farmers opened their farms to host a delegation of 14 Mexican corn buyers for three days of farm tours, education, and relationship building. The buyers represent leaders in companies like livestock feed producers, poultry and egg farms, and corn tortilla manufacturers; all interested in purchasing corn from Kentucky.
These buyers have a need for millions of bushels of corn each year, and are looking to fulfill that demand with as high-quality and high-nutrition corn as possible. Time and again, corn from Kentucky proves to meet these high standards and more, and in-person tours of Kentucky local farm and grain processing facilities help build the relationships and confidence in our quality needed to create new market pathways.
The team was generously hosted for on-farm tours by two Kentucky Corn Growers Association directors, Brandon Hunt and Brandon Robey. For an industry perspective, and to see the full market cycle for corn and corn byproducts, the team toured Hopkinsville Elevator, Commonwealth Agri-Energy, and the Glasgow branch of Burkmann Feeds.
Hunt farms corn, wheat, soybeans, tobacco, and hemp in Herndon, Ky. Buyers learned about the sustainability of Kentucky farming practices like cover crop techniques, strip-tilling, and no-till.
Robey farms corn, wheat, and soybeans in Logan County, Ky. as a first-generation farmer. Robey dove into what Kentucky grain storage and drying capacity looks like, and how Kentucky-grown corn yields can meet the needs of exports while providing food and fuel at home.
This is the second trade team visit of the year that KY Corn has brought to Kentucky farms in partnership with the U.S. Grains and BioProducts Council. KY Corn is also grateful for Kentucky Farm Bureau and their partnership in this year’s trade team visit as well.
Bringing potential grain buyers to the state of Kentucky for hands-on trade visits like this one is one way KY Corn works to help strengthen trade relationships and create new opportunities for Kentucky producers.