Export Exchange 2016 speaker urges transparency in grain chain

By cosponsoring this week’s Export Exchange 2016 in Detroit, Michigan, the U.S. Grains Council helped to shed light on supply and demand, consumer expectation and other areas of major interest for grain vendors and buyers.
 
Jointly backed by the Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Grains Council and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) every two years, Export Exchange 2016 wrapped up its Oct. 24-26 Detroit event attended by approximately 400 participants.
 
Elanco’s Todd Armstrong, senior director of global market access, spoke on trends in consumer demand, advising that food companies need to focus on customer expectations to sustain success.
 
"When you ask consumers what they expect, the consumer is demanding and expecting increased transparency in what happens to their food," Armstrong said. "In the animal protein industry, we're expected to be more transparent about how we raise animals."
 
Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly and Company headquartered in Greenfield, Indiana, is committed to improving animal health, helping pets lead long, healthy lives and keeping food affordable and abundant through animal productivity.
 
The Oct. 24-26 occasion afforded plenty of networking potential for participants and domestic suppliers of corn, distiller’s grains, sorghum, barley and more. Global buyers and end-users flocked to the Motor City to attend the event and benefit from educational workshops as well as new contacts. Additional speaker topics included new uses for sorghum and international work in Vietnam and Morocco.
 
The U.S. Grains Council is a private, nonprofit organization supporting export markets for barley, corn, sorghum and related products.