Nebraska Corn Board Hosts Trade Team from Taiwan

While in Nebraska, the trade team visited Nerud Farms to experience corn and soybean harvests and learn about crop progress and conditions.

From Oct. 21-25, a delegation of seven Taiwanese customers was in the U.S. to better understand the American corn industry. As part of its visit, the team was in Nebraska from Oct. 23-24 and was able to see several different aspects of the state’s corn value chain.

“We know that 95% of the world’s population lives outside of the U.S.,” said David Bruntz, chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board and farmer from Friend. “We also know that we grow a lot more corn than we can use. We need to ensure we have reliable trading partners to ensure markets for our corn and corn-related products.”

The Taiwanese delegation represented a variety of customers and industry leaders, including livestock producers, feed millers, corn traders and government officials. The group began their visit in Illinois and toured a grain loading facility, corn farms and a local elevator. Once in Nebraska, the trade team visited Farmers Cooperative in Firth, Nerud Farms in Dorchester, Flint Hills Resources in Fairmont, and met with Gavilon in Lincoln. The team completed their week in Washington by visiting grain export terminals to see how corn and corn-related products are shipped outside of the U.S.

The group visited with Farmers Cooperative and learned about their milling capabilities and feed products.

“We know we produce quality ag products in Nebraska,” said Dan Nerud, president of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association and farmer from Dorchester. “We can grow and produce all of the quality products in the world, but if we don’t have anyone to buy our commodities, it doesn’t matter. Therefore, trade matters. We always need to be working on enhancing relationships with our friends around the globe.”

The Taiwanese visit was the third trade mission the Nebraska Corn Board has hosted since September. The state’s top two corn customers, Mexico and Japan, were in Nebraska earlier this fall. Each trade team was hosted through collaborations with the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council.