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Illinois grain tours build international demand

The director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture says maintaining strong international relationships in times of uncertainty is vital.  

Jerry Costello says the state’s annual grain tours that showcase the agricultural supply chain to foreign buyers are a prime example.

“The three countries that were able to participate were Egypt, China, and Vietnam.”  He says, “Projected sales just to China alone were about $135 million.”

He tells Brownfield…

“We’re putting buyers together with farmers, with processors.”  He says, “They get to see firsthand the transportation and infrastructure. That reliability, the efficiency of our agricultural system is something that we’re really able to demonstrate.”

Costello says a second tour next week will welcome grain buyers from Central and South America.

“Last year, we had $236 million in sales between those two tours, which was about $77 million more than the single tour in 2024,” he says.

He says the tours demonstrate that state agencies can have a positive impact promoting agricultural exports and building much-needed demand for U.S. grown grain.

AUDIO: Jerry Costello – Illinois Department of Agriculture