Tight world grain supplies and expanding corn based domestic ethanol production have created improved marketing options for U.S. feed grain producers. However, the U.S. feed grains industry should not abandon international market development programs and efforts to preserve its hard won world market share of feed grain and co-product exports based on the current trends, according to Ken Hobbie, president and CEO of the U.S. Grains Council.

Speaking to attendees of the Council’s First Ever Joint International Marketing Conference and 47th Annual Membership Meeting, Hobbie noted four areas on which the Council should focus efforts over the next three years – customer servicing and education; promotion of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS); building demand in countries and regions with whom the United States has free trade agreements while exploring opportunities in large markets with great potential like China and India; and issues related to market access and biotechnology acceptance.

Read more from the USGC and the Associated Press.