WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) recently organized a team of Japanese corn industry representatives to travel to the U.S. for a firsthand look at the high quality crop.

“It was encouraging for the corn buyers in the team to see the good condition,” said Tommy Hamamoto, USGC director in Japan. “The U.S. maintains over 80 percent market share in Japan mainly due to the reliable supply of high quality corn. The visits further ensured the industry’s willingness to purchase U.S. corn.”


The team visited a Grain, Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) field office to learn about grain quality assurance standards for both domestic and export use. The team also toured the Chicago & Illinois River Terminal Elevator, the CGB Naples elevator and the Zen-Noh export elevator in New Orleans. Finally, the team met with Monsanto to learn about new developments in biotechnology and breeding.