Photo courtesy of USGBPC
PANAMA CITY, PANAMA – The 23rd International Marketing Conference (IMC) and 66th Annual Membership Meeting welcomed U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC) members in Panama City, Panama to plan for the upcoming year and hear from Council experts about new market opportunities.
IMC provides members with an overview of the Council’s strategy for the coming year and includes several Advisory Team (A-Team) sessions, where experts in various agricultural commodities and markets come together to conduct market and commodity-specific analyses while sharing experiences relevant to their industry for this year.
USGBC Chairman Mark Wilson began Wednesday’s proceedings, and the audience received a welcome to Panama City by the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Panama Kevin Marino Cabrera.
“Panama plays an important role both as a key trading partner for the United States and as a global logistics hub,” Ambassador Cabrera said. “The U.S. embassy is committed to promoting U.S. exports and facilitating dialogue and engagement among stakeholders.”
“Our partnership with the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council and other U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperators in Panama means we are doing everything to increase trade. Which in turn trends into logistics, storage, maritime transportation and reinforces Panama’s role as a regional hub.”
The Council then welcomed the Panama Canal Authority Administrator Dr. Ricaurte Vásquez Morales to provide insight into the Panama Canal’s role in strengthening global trade and agricultural supply chains.
Wilson initiated a ceremonial Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) cover letter signing between USGBC and the Panama Canal Authority. The signing between the Council and Panama Canal Authority officially occurred last November, but Dr. Vásquez, Wilson and USGBC President & CEO Ryan LeGrand each signed the official cover letter acknowledging the MOU with Ambassador Cabrera witnessing the signatures.
“The U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council and the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) share a long-established partnership rooted in their mutual understanding of the Panama Canal’s critical role in assuring smooth international trade flows,” Wilson said.
“The renewal of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two parties reflects the continued success of past collaboration and a shared commitment to strengthening the relationship as market dynamics and opportunities evolve.”
The MOU will serve as a framework for future initiatives that may include, but are not limited to, facilitating dialogue between ACP and the U.S. shipping industry, conducting a feasibility study to assess the opportunity for a grain storage facility on the canal and sharing of data related to trade flows, transit information and export volumes.
The general session concluded with an overview of the Council’s recent activities and outlook for the future from LeGrand.
“We are thrilled at the possibilities that lie before us in our inaugural year as the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council, and we won’t stop working to find homes for the corn, sorghum and barley that you grow, as well as the ethanol and co-products you produce,” LeGrand said.
“It is our mission, it is our purpose and we will never stop working for you and your future generations.”
Thursday will feature a close-up look of the Panama Canal as attendees will participate in Council programming conversations on Latin America and Asia and Advisory Team (A-Team) meetings as they ride along the critical waterway before the meeting concludes on Friday.
More from the meeting is available on social media using the hashtag #Grains26 or through the website here.
