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Trade negotiations, business forecasting and foreign markets were among the topics highlighted during the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) recent annual meeting in Seattle.

Chris Henney, OFBF director of agricultural ecology programs, attended the meeting. He said OFBF is a member of USGC and supports its activities.

"Their sole purpose is to find new markets for U.S. grains. That includes corn, barley and sorghum," he said.

During the meeting, C.M. Lynn, director of the USGC Taiwan office, said U.S. grains hold 90 percent of Taiwan's 5 million metric ton grain market. However, competition from China, Argentina, Australia and Brazil are challenging U.S. market share. But new markets for U.S. grains are emerging, including a bioplastics industry that could create a 50,000-ton market for corn by 2010.

USGC is also working with Russian officials to train livestock producers after steep declines in livestock production reduced grain imports. Russia's demand for animal protein is expected to increase as personal income rises.

Henney said USGC also set up a model cattle feedlot in Morocco to show farmers how to increase livestock production.

"Other cattle will be fed with grain and that opens up new markets to sell grain," he said.