Image courtesy of the U.S. Grains and BioProducts Council.
The U.S. Grains and BioProducts Council (USGBC), in partnership with state and national checkoff organizations, recently participated in strategic visits to Canada and Mexico to update member leaders on the Council’s international investments and represent the strategic vision of U.S. corn and sorghum growers to customers.
USGBC Vice President Cary Sifferath, USGBC Regional Ethanol Manager for the European Union, United Kingdom and Canada Stephanie Larson and USGBC staff based in Mexico were joined by representatives from key Council members and partners including the Colorado Corn Promotion Council; the Indiana Corn Marketing Board; the Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council; the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council; the Nebraska Corn Board; Ohio Corn Marketing Program; the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council; and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program.
“This mission provided a unique opportunity for state leaders to directly engage in U.S. agriculture’s largest export markets for corn, barley, distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and sorghum, strengthening bonds with global customers and reinforcing the U.S. industry’s commitment to reliable grain and ethanol supply,” Sifferath said.
The delegation arrived in Mexico City for a meeting with U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) staff based in the country followed by discussions with several feed milling associations and rail transportation stakeholders. The meetings provided participants with an overview of trade logistics and feed applications and allowed checkoff staff to share grower perspectives with key customers.
The team’s second day in Mexico was focused on policy, specifically around the potential for Mexico to adopt gasoline blended with 10 percent ethanol (E10), including a meeting with Secretary of Agriculture Dr. Julio Berdegue and staff from the office of the secretary of economy.
After traveling to Ottawa, the group met with a slate of policymakers including leaders from Environment and Climate Change Canada, Natural Resources Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to discuss the strong ethanol trade between the U.S. and Canada.
The program concluded in a meeting with FAS staff based in Ottawa for a technical discussion and to exchange perspectives on the broader North American market and current trade dynamics under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
“The Council is proud to showcase the commitment of U.S. farmers to meeting international demand for high-quality corn, sorghum, barley and value-added products like ethanol, and involving our members in that is always a benefit to customers who feel an even closer trust in their purchases as a result,” Sifferath said.
“Through these in-person meetings, state leaders and Council staff gathered valuable market intelligence and customer feedback to inform future priorities and investments that will help defend U.S. agriculture’s largest trading partners.”
Source: USGBC Press Release, Oct. 10, 2025