The United States claims nearly 80% of the world's
corn exports, and investing checkoff dollars in the export
market definitely pays off. The stakes for Nebraska producers
are very high, and the Nebraska Corn Board is active
in developing export markets for our corn.
Just how
important are export markets to Nebraska? Nearly one
out of every 10 acres of corn we grow is exported, and
the Nebraska Corn Board is active in promoting more exports.
Nebraska corn producers are represented in the world
marketplace by the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), a non-profit
organization with ten international offices. USGC receives
checkoff funding from the Nebraska Corn Board.
One
of the best ways of exporting Nebraska corn is in the
value-added form of red meat. In fact, every pound of
red beef exported represents the equivalent of seven
pounds of corn exported. The Nebraska Corn Board distributes
checkoff funds to the U.S. Meat Export Federation for
the development of red meat exports. U.S. grain-fed pork
and beef exports account for more than 350 million bushels
of corn.
The
Nebraska Corn Board is working to break down resistance
to biotechnology that still exists in many parts of the
world. The Nebraska Corn Board has sponsored events that give foreign policy makers from around
the world a first-hand look at how American farmers
use biotechnology in their own operations—and how
all of America benefits from the results. The Nebraska
Corn Board has also hosted International Biotech Media
Teams. This helps journalists discover
more about the safety and handling of biotech grains.
The Nebraska Corn Board regularly plays
host to delegations of foreign visitors. These groups
include current U.S. corn customers, prospective customers,
policymakers, researchers and other international officials
who are closely connected to exports of U.S. and Nebraska
corn and livestock products.
Corn
buyers around the world receive the latest information
on the quality, reliability and abundance of Nebraska’s
corn supply in the annual Nebraska Corn Quality Report.
Since 1994 the Nebraska Corn Board has published
this report in English and Spanish. It is distributed
to trade teams that visit the state, as well as to domestic
and international grain purchasers. The most recent report, published in 2008, showed that 91% of Nebraska's crop was U.S. Grade #1 — the best possible rating for yellow corn. |
