Special Report

Building trade relationships and enhancing trade volume are key

A central Indiana farmer says focusing on building trade relationships is key to farmer profitability.

Indiana Corn Growers Association member Mike Beard says farmers need opportunities to enhance trade volume.  “Hopefully that brings some greater profitability because it will reduce carryover that we have in the marketplace,” he says.  “It will give us an opportunity to find more value in what we produce.”

He tells Brownfield that also means cultivating new, bilateral trade deals.  “We need to work with the administration to craft new agreements that are primarily between two countries,” he says.  “That will give us the opportunity to move product, more corn, across the oceans and across the borders.”

Mexico, Japan, and Colombia were the top three buyers of US corn in the 2015/16 marketing year.

Beard spoke with Brownfield at the recent Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas.

AUDIO: Mike Beard, Indiana farmer