Jim Wiesemeyer of Informa Economics told more than 300 attendees at the U.S. Grains Council‘s 49th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting in San Diego this week that there may be a few more tough years for the economy but there will eventually be a light at the end of the tunnel, and farmers will flourish. “Once the US and world …
Corn Growers Work With Grains Council
Leaders from the National Corn Growers Association were among those in attendance at the U.S. Grains Council delegates meeting this week in San Diego, including First Vice President Darrin Ihnen of South Dakota and Chairman Ron Litterer from Iowa. I talked to Darrin about a number of topics, including how NCGA works with USGC. “We work very well together,” Darrin …
Students Share Experiences of Grain Mission Trip
The U.S. Grains Council’s 49th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting luncheon on Monday featured two college seniors who shared their experiences as participants of the recent International Collegiate Agricultural Leadership (I-CAL) annual mission to Vietnam and China. Amy Berry, senior at the University of Wyoming, and Michelle Euken, senior at Iowa State University, told more than 300 attendees of their …
Being Part of the Journey
One Nebraska farmer’s wife got a greater appreciation of the impact U.S. agricultural producers have on the global economy when she was able to be a part of America’s Heartland “Journey of the Corn.” During the spouses breakfast at the U.S. Grains Council delegates meeting on Monday, Lori Tiemann shared some of her journey to Taiwan and China with her …
GMOs in France
Genetically Modified Organisms or GMOs have become a topic of skepticism, especially in France, and the discussion was on tap Monday afternoon at the International Farm Management Congress. Anti-GMO activists, who view the harvests as highly unnatural, have destroyed fields of these experimental crops. Mourad Hannachi, a PhD student the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, has studied the difficulties …
IFMA President Welcomes Delegates
John Alliston welcomed the agricultural world Monday to the Bone Student Center on the campus of Illinois State University for the 17th annual International Farm Management Congress. Alliston, the President of the IFMA, stressed the importance of communication during this week-long seminar that includes a multitude of presentations dealing with world agriculture. “By the end of this week, we want …
Opening New Markets is Focus of USGC
Rick Fruth is a corn grower from Ohio who serves as vice chairman of the US Grains Council and he says the continuing development of international markets is the main focus of their organization. “We’ve seen markets back in the 70s that were very important to us – western Europe and the former Soviet Union – evaporate and we’ve had …
USGC Partnership with USDA FAS
The administrator of USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service Michael Michener spoke to the US Grains Council delegates meeting this morning in San Diego about how the partnership between FAS and USGC helps to open markets for US agricultural products. “Over the years, FAS and the U.S Grains Council have formed a vital link between government and U.S. agriculture to maintain and …
US Grains Delegate Meeting Underway
The U.S. Grains Council 49th Annual Board of Delegates meeting got underway this morning with the issues session. Chairman Jim Broten of the North Dakota Barley Council welcomed the delegates to San Diego and the official start of business. The general session gets underway shortly, starting with USDA Foreign Agriculture Service administrator Michael Michener giving an update on “Increasing Trade …
The World Meets at Miller Park for IFMA 17 Picnic
-Delegates from over 26 countries met Sunday evening, July 19, at Miller Park for the International Farm Management Association Congress picnic. This is only the second time the Congress has been held in the U.S., and at the opening picnic, delegates from South Africa to Ireland were able to experience a Midwest American meal. Good food followed with good conversation. …