Commodity Classic Bolsters USMEF Outreach to Producers
Last week’s Commodity Classic in Grapevine,Texas, provided an excellent opportunity for USMEF to share information about beef and pork exports with more than 4,500 feedgrain and oilseed producers. Well-established as one of the nation’s largest agricultural conventions and trade shows, the Commodity Classic is sponsored by the National Corn Growers Association, the American Soybean Association, the National Association of Wheat Growers and the National Sorghum Producers.
Secretary-Treasurer Danita Rodibaugh, a pork producer and grain farmer from Rennsselaer, Ind., was one of the USMEF representatives in attendance.
“These producers make a significant investment in USMEF,” Rodibaugh said, “so it’s great to be able to interact with them and talk about the success of pork and beef exports, and to further build those relationships. By working together to ship a quality product overseas and grow our international markets, we can reach a higher level of success for U.S. agriculture.”
Several USMEF funding partners were in attendance at the Commodity Classic Trade Show, including the National Pork Board. Rodibaugh and John Hinners, USMEF assistant vice president for industry relations, joined Pork Board staff in discussing the importance of pork exports with trade show attendees. They also shared information about the pork industry’s We Care campaign, an initiative that highlights pork producers’ commitment to ethical principles and animal well-being practices.
On the final day of the Commodity Classic, USMEF hosted a lunch for leaders of state feedgrain and oilseeds associations. Sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred International, the lunch was enjoyed by about 80 representatives of USMEF partner organizations. National Corn Growers Association President Bob Dickey of Laurel, Neb., was the featured speaker.
David Fremark, who serves as chairman of the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council, was one of many producers on hand who expressed his commitment to growing the nation’s meat exports.
“Corn producers know that the feeding industry is their No. 1 customer here in the U.S.,” said Fremark, a grain farmer, cow-calf operator and cattle feeder from St. Lawrence, S.D. “People talk about adding value in agriculture. Well, when you take a raw product like grain and turn it into a protein source that can be shipped all over the world, that product goes overseas but the value stays here at home.
“We know that the domestic demand for beef, pork and lamb is a rather static number,” Fremark added. “Producers know that if we’re going to increase sales – increase profitability – it’s going to have to include sales in other countries.”
# # #
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
Last week’s Commodity Classic in Grapevine,Texas, provided an excellent opportunity for USMEF to share information about beef and pork exports with more than 4,500 feedgrain and oilseed producers. Well-established as one of the nation’s largest agricultural conventions and trade shows, the Commodity Classic is sponsored by the National Corn Growers Association, the American Soybean Association, the National Association of Wheat Growers and the National Sorghum Producers.
Secretary-Treasurer Danita Rodibaugh, a pork producer and grain farmer from Rennsselaer, Ind., was one of the USMEF representatives in attendance.
“These producers make a significant investment in USMEF,” Rodibaugh said, “so it’s great to be able to interact with them and talk about the success of pork and beef exports, and to further build those relationships. By working together to ship a quality product overseas and grow our international markets, we can reach a higher level of success for U.S. agriculture.”
Several USMEF funding partners were in attendance at the Commodity Classic Trade Show, including the National Pork Board. Rodibaugh and John Hinners, USMEF assistant vice president for industry relations, joined Pork Board staff in discussing the importance of pork exports with trade show attendees. They also shared information about the pork industry’s We Care campaign, an initiative that highlights pork producers’ commitment to ethical principles and animal well-being practices.
On the final day of the Commodity Classic, USMEF hosted a lunch for leaders of state feedgrain and oilseeds associations. Sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred International, the lunch was enjoyed by about 80 representatives of USMEF partner organizations. National Corn Growers Association President Bob Dickey of Laurel, Neb., was the featured speaker.
David Fremark, who serves as chairman of the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council, was one of many producers on hand who expressed his commitment to growing the nation’s meat exports.
“Corn producers know that the feeding industry is their No. 1 customer here in the U.S.,” said Fremark, a grain farmer, cow-calf operator and cattle feeder from St. Lawrence, S.D. “People talk about adding value in agriculture. Well, when you take a raw product like grain and turn it into a protein source that can be shipped all over the world, that product goes overseas but the value stays here at home.
“We know that the domestic demand for beef, pork and lamb is a rather static number,” Fremark added. “Producers know that if we’re going to increase sales – increase profitability – it’s going to have to include sales in other countries.”
# # #
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.