WASHINGTON, D.C., December 5, 2011 — The U.S. Grains Council’s 2011 Corn Mission to Japan, China and Vietnam toured the Kushiro Port in Hokkaido, Japan, and heard firsthand the plans to expand the port’s capacity to accommodate larger vessels.

Kushiro is the largest port facility in the heart of Japan’s major dairy producing area – Hokkaido, Japan.

The Director of the Kushiro Port Office for Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) Dr. Tetsuya Hayakawa explained to the group that the port was selected in June by MLIT as one of the eight ports designated to undergo a massive expansion in an effort to

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 29, 2011 — The U.S. Grains Council announced that registration is now open for its 9th International Marketing Conference and 52nd Annual Membership Meeting to be held Feb. 13-15 in Panama City, Panama.

Registration and additional details are available at www.grains.org by clicking on the meeting link on the right hand side of the page. Online registration is available through February 3, and please note that a valid passport is required for entry into Panama.

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 22, 2011 – The U.S. Grains Council will lead several U.S. corn growers representing various state agricultural organizations and agribusinesses on a high-level leadership mission to three key Asian markets – Japan, China and Vietnam – from Nov. 29 to Dec. 9. Mission members will see an array of export challenges and opportunities, not just for corn but also for processed corn products.

“Japan, of course, is the largest U.S. corn export customer, but it is also a mature market that may be in transition,” said Tom Sleight, vice president of operations at the U.S. Grains Council, which organized the mission.

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 13, 2011 – The U.S. Grains Council salutes Congress on final passage of the long-stalled free trade agreements with Panama, Colombia and South Korea. These agreements provide significant benefits for U.S. agricultural trade and the U.S. economy by leveling the playing field in markets where U.S. producers have been laboring under an unfair competitive disadvantage. Ratification of the agreements provides for immediate duty-free access for most U.S. goods, creating opportunities for increases in U.S. agricultural exports which will generate economic growth and U.S. jobs. The agreements are expected to generate roughly $13 billion in additional export revenue, with approximately $11 billion of the total flowing to South Korea.