Before and after Export Exchange 2022 last week, international trade teams consisting of agricultural product importers, government officials and agribusiness leaders had the opportunity to visit farms, ethanol plants, and export facilities around the U.S.

The trade teams represented more than 50 countries interested in U.S. corn, distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and sorghum. They traveled to a variety of locations from Washington D.C., throughout the Midwest, and states such as Louisiana and Arkansas.

One group of grain and DDGS importers from Mexico spent time in Iowa, seeing firsthand U.S. corn production areas, ethanol plants and learning about DDGS production and new technology entering the market. A group of feed grain and DDGS buyers from South Korea spent time in Washington, Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois, visiting the Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) ethanol plant in Council Bluff, IA, to learn more about the operation.

Eleven pre-event teams did visits prior to Export Exchange, while another ten teams traveled after the event. The trips were organized by the U.S. Grains Council.