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Trade partners connect during Illinois Grain Tour

The Illinois Director of Agriculture says valuable trade relationships were formed during the Illinois Grain Tour this week.

Jerry Costello tells Brownfield they estimate more than $20 million in sales were a result of the virtual tours in 2020 and 2021 and he is hopeful the in-person connections this year will boost that number.

“When you get to look somebody in the face and have the conversation, it hopefully makes it more of a lasting relationship. This is not just a one-time event, it is meant to build life-long partnerships to grow the ag industry in the state of Illinois.”

He says the war in Ukraine makes it that much more important to market grain from the number one soybean and number two corn producing state in the US.

“When you look at the amount of corn and wheat that has been taken out of the global market, it makes agriculture here in Illinois that much more important to buyers out in the world that they are making these connections.”

Forty international buyers from seven Latin American countries participated in this year’s event, touring Illinois farms and companies like ADM and GSI.