Corn growers seek opportunities to expand exports

The NCGA's goal is to increase exports by 25 percent by 2020.
The NCGA's goal is to increase exports by 25 percent by 2020.

At the U.S. Grains Council’s 13th International Marketing Conference and 56th Annual Membership Meeting this month, the emphasis was especially on the need for expanding export opportunities for corn growers.

“We have set an ambitious goal of building demand in the years ahead, and it’s a goal we cannot meet without looking outside our nation’s borders,” Chip Bowling, president of the National Corn Growers Association, said. “Exports or corn and corn products will play a critical role in increasing competitive market demand, and we’re working with the U.S. Grains Council and other partners – as one team – to sustainably meet growing needs for food and fuel worldwide.”

Bowling’s presentation focused on recent ethanol export growth as a result of the work from Grains Council, Growth Energy, the Renewable Fuels Association and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service. The goal is to increase exports by 25 percent by 2020. Emphasis on getting the Trans-Pacific Partnership signed into law was also a key note for Bowling’s presentation.

“We are very pleased with how our relationship with the U.S. Grains Council has evolved and grown over the years,” Bowling said. “Now that we are sharing offices in our nation’s capital, the opportunities for collegiality and collaboration have only strengthened.”