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Growing demand for corn is key
An Ohio farmer says growing demand for U.S. corn plays a crucial role in farmers’ profitability.
Denny Vennekotter is chair of the National Corn Growers Association’s Market Development Action team. “We feed about a third of our corn in the US,” he says. “We export about a third of it, and about a third of it goes to ethanol.”
He tells Brownfield that strategic partnerships can help increase corn usage. “We have a large supply, and we have to find a home for it somehow,” he says. Vennekotter says the U.S. Meat Export Federation is a perfect example. “They have offices in these other countries that help sell our products,” he says. “Mexico last year was a big importer of pork. China even takes some of the cuts that we don’t like to eat in the states. They’re a big importer of the variety of meats.”
He says checkoff dollars are also invested in the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council, which works to promote US poultry in different markets around the globe.
A survey, released last year showed U.S. pork and beef exports contributed an estimated total economic impact of 15% per bushel to the value of corn in 2022.
AUDIO: Denny Vennekotter, Ohio corn farmer
Should it read 15 cents instead of 15 per cent?