Enhanced quality in US corn exports revealed

Mar 26, 2024

By Farms.com

The U.S. Grains Council's release of the 2023/2024 Corn Export Cargo Quality Report brings good news for global agriculture, showing that U.S. corn quality not only meets but exceeds the standard U.S. No. 2 grade across all grade factors. This achievement marks an improvement over the average quality of previous years and supports the Council's goals of promoting global food security and the mutual economic benefits of trade.

This report, based on the analysis of 433 samples of yellow commodity corn collected during the federal grain inspection process, provides a snapshot of the U.S. corn crop's quality as it prepares for global distribution. Despite a growing season challenged by drought and high temperatures, the U.S. corn crop matured rapidly, leading to a harvest of exceptional quality.

Key findings include an increase in average test weight and protein concentration, surpassing both last year's metrics and the five-year average. Additionally, the report assures the international community of the crop's safety, with all samples testing below critical levels for harmful substances.

Together with the Corn Harvest Quality Report, these findings offer a transparent, consistent look at U.S. corn quality, helping international buyers make informed decisions. The USGC is set to further disseminate this information through upcoming crop quality seminars in key international markets, including Central America and South Korea.

These efforts not only highlight the quality of U.S. corn but also reinforce the USGC's dedication to supporting global agricultural trade, enhancing food security, and building strong trade relationships worldwide.

Click here to see the Corn Export Cargo Quality Report 23/2024.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.