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Indiana farmer discusses trade mission to Colombia

USDA Under Secretary Ted McKinney led a trade mission to Colombia last week and Indiana farmer Mark Seib was on the trip along with other ag officials.

Seib, a United Soybean Board Director, represented USB and the U.S. Soybean Export Council.  

“We went to ask what USB and USSEC could do to help with some of the issues that they were having to get the U.S. product moved in those countries and we had some good discussions,” he says. “We told them we were going to bring that back to the United States and talk to our organizations and we might have some pretty good things coming down the pike here.”

He says trade missions provide opportunities to develop relationships with other countries that benefit the agriculture industry.

“We have to constantly look at new markets and selling more in
different places,” he says. “That’s why we go to these countries that we feel have potential for expanding imports into their country,” he says.

Food and ag exports to Colombia tripled from $1.1 billion in 2012 to $2.9 billion in 2018.

Seib grows corn and soybeans near Poseyville in Posey County.

Audio: Mark Seib, United Soybean Board Director